Since 2020, routine cancer screenings have declined nationwide, due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now with increased safety precautions in place, and with the threat of severe disease lessened thanks to vaccinations, Sutter healthcare providers in the East Bay are pleading with patients to resume their recommended screenings.
For example, depending on age and sex, a patient may need a colonoscopy, mammogram, Pap test for cervical cancer, skin check or prostate check. Delaying a routine screening could mean that a developing cancer remains undetected, potentially lowering the odds of a positive outcome.
Oakland resident Brian Jeffs was doing the right thing when he scheduled his first colonoscopy after turning 50. He had delayed the procedure about a year longer than intended, in part due to his busy work schedule, but also because of the pandemic. But since Brian wasn’t experiencing any symptoms of colorectal cancer, he anticipated a normal first screening in December 2020.
“I went in with the mindset of just getting it over with and getting back to my normal routine, thinking this was just a necessary evil of turning 50,” Brian recalls. “But instead, everything quickly turned upside down for a full year.”
Doctors found stage 3 colorectal cancer, much further advanced than Brian could have imagined, especially since nothing had seemed wrong. A team at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center acted immediately to address his disease. He started radiation in February 2021, followed by surgery in May and finally chemotherapy in July. Thankfully, his scans to date have been clear, and Brian is now on the mend.
“My wife, Kari, and I were so impressed—the entire care team was truly remarkable,” Brian says. “It really felt like the team put maximum effort into devising a treatment plan quickly—but it was so much more than treatment.
Everyone really showed compassion, asking me how I was doing every day in radiation and pulling in others right away if anything needed attention.”
Those daily radiation sessions at ABSMC’s Herrick Campus set the course for compassionate and coordinated care that continued throughout Brian’s treatment.
Advanced Detection and Treatment
With more than 2,000 new diagnoses each year, ABSMC is one of the largest cancer care providers in the Bay Area, offering advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies along with supportive services for patients throughout their cancer journeys. Every day, approximately 200 cancer patients experience the same attentive care Brian received, many of them for colorectal cancer.
According to the National Institutes of Health, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer after breast, prostate and lung cancers. However, it is also one of the most treatable when found early. In fact, last year the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for colonoscopy from 50 to 45 because of a rise in colorectal cancer cases among young and middle-aged Americans.
For patients who need radiation therapy, as Brian did, cancer specialists at ABSMC use the latest linear accelerator technology, along with cutting-edge imaging tools. In 2021, ABSMC’s oncology department installed a 4D Wide Bore CT Simulator, made possible with philanthropic gifts from the community. This advancement enables more targeted radiation treatments while reducing procedure time and slashing patients’ radiation exposure by up to 70%.
Gratitude Sparks Generosity
Grateful for the care they experienced, Brian and Kari joined other donors in making a significant gift toward furthering cancer care at ABSMC. “It was a really bad situation but such a good experience that we wanted to show our deep appreciation,” Brian says.
“We are so fortunate that patients choose to give back to Alta Bates Summit in gratitude for their care,” says Jody Policar, director of philanthropy in the East Bay. “These compassionate gestures help us provide the best possible care when operational budgets in healthcare are increasingly under strain.”
Everyone from the parking valets to the receptionists and technicians greeted me with a friendly hello. They recognized me even with a mask on.” Brian was also impressed that an ABSMC nutritionist would stop to check in with him and Kari, even without an appointment. He spent time with Kari strategizing foods that Brian might be able to tolerate during chemotherapy to help him maintain weight.
At every level, the couple felt supported, and they hope their contribution might help other patients in the future.