A study published Tuesday in The Journal Jama Network Open shows the number of new cancer diagnoses went down in the first full year of the pandemic.
That may sound like good news, but the reason for the decline appears to be that many adults weren't seeking out care or routine screening.
The study was based on data from nearly 800,000 patients who tested positive for one of the eight most common cancers in the U.S.
The eight most common cancers include prostate, breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, cervical, gastric, and esophageal
According to the researchers, it is likely that many of those who didn't seek out screening in the first full year of the pandemic remain undiagnosed.
They encourage people to seek preventative care and avoid delaying medical visits.