Surgeon warns that climate change can disrupt cancer care
Wildfires, storms, and floods can lead to missed appointments and hospital closures – with life-and-death consequences.
File photo: Female surgeon wearing headlamp in operating room. (Image: Getty Images)
Shaneeta Johnson, a surgeon at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, is worried about how climate change can interfere with cancer surgery and care.
According to a recent paper she co-authored, people with cancer benefit from detecting the disease early and sticking to strict treatment schedules.
But increasingly severe floods, wildfires, and storms can force roads and hospitals to close, preventing people from making their appointments.
“So, for instance, if there’s a wildfire, and you are displaced from your home, or the hospital where you are receiving care is no longer functional, that has an immediate and a definite impact on your cancer treatment," Johnson said.
Extreme heat and air pollution from wildfires can also strain patients’ hearts and lungs.
“That means that no matter what surgery we are performing, they are at an increased risk for complications, simply because they have been exposed to air pollution and other impacts of climate change," Johnson said.
To minimize disruptions to their care, Johnson says patients should have their health records on hand and plan ahead for how to access treatment during extreme weather.
And she says health care providers need emergency preparedness plans to ensure patients get the care they need.
This article was originally published by Yale Climate Connections.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
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