"We can speculate that putting off routine screening tests means early cancers are not being detected," says Dr. Nabil Wasif, a Mayo Clinic surgical oncologist. He says this suggests that patients will eventually show up but with more advanced cancer.

Routine screenings are recommended for breast, cervical and colon cancer, as well as lung cancer if the patient is a smoker.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Wasif, says patients are taking a risk by delaying screening.