W thunderstorms are already popping up Saturday morning across parts of Arkansas and Tennessee. However, as a larger storm system moves

w thunderstorms are already popping up Saturday morning across parts of Arkansas and Tennessee. However, as a larger storm system moves

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With National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month coming to a close, doctors are reminding Americans that timely screenings save lives -- especially during the pandemic.

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were marked by society shutting down, which included doctors' offices nationwide. For elective procedures, a delay meant a nuisance, but not a dangerous one. For colorectal cancer screenings, however, delays can lead to more significant implications.

Colorectal cancer is an umbrella term for cancers of the large intestine -- the colon and the rectum. It is both the third-most commonly diagnosed cancer as well as the third-most deadly.

As the pandemic unfolded, colorectal cancer specialists watched with concern, knowing an untold number of patients were missing opportunities to catch cancer early enough to treat.

MORE: Doctors warn cancers are going undiagnosed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what you can do to decrease the risk.
"If people aren't getting their screening, we know that a certain percentage of people are going to go on to develop a cancer that otherwise could have been picked up," said Dr. Michael McGee, a gastrointestinal surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

National data corroborated a domino effect from delays in screening to delays in diagnosis. By spring 2020, the number of clinic visits to discuss new diagnoses of colorectal cancer was less than half than in the year prior. As researchers predicted, an apparent drop in colorectal cancer diagnoses did not signal that the cancers were not there, but rather that they were not being found -- or sought out.

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Now that clinics are fully open with proper COVID-19 safety protocols in place, the delays have caught up with patients. Dr. Aparna Kalyan, an oncologist focused on gastrointestinal cancers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, is seeing more patients with late-stage disease than she had pre-pandemic.

MORE: Colorectal cancer on the rise among young people
"It's hard, because you don't want to put the guilt factor on patients," Kalyan said. "So you sort of have to say, well, this happened, now we have to talk about the treatment part of it."

The results of delayed screening and diagnosis will continue to come to light, researchers say. One estimate predicted thousands of excess deaths from colorectal cancer, an effect that may continue for the next several years.

Experts warn that delays in screening go beyond the effects of the pandemic, touching the lives of many minority groups and a troubling number of young people with colorectal cancer.

Over the last decade, while cases of colorectal cancer have decreased in adults over 55 -- thanks in large part to cancer screening -- rates in people younger than 55 are increasing. The late 2020 death of 43-year-old actor Chadwick Boseman drew attention to this alarming trend that experts still can't explain.

MORE: Chadwick Boseman's death puts spotlight on colon cancer among Black men, young people
"A lot of times, young people especially don't think of it," Kalyan said. "But that does have implications."

Similar implications lead to colorectal cancer affecting low-income and minority patients more severely. The reasons are twofold: There's a disparity in access to screening, which leads to diagnosis late in the course of the disease, and a lack of access to timely treatment, which leads to higher death rates.

"Many low-income and minority patients do not have insurance or regular health care providers," said Dr. Fola May, a gastroenterologist, quality director and health equity researcher at UCLA Health. "In these cases it is very unlikely that an individual knows about the importance of screening or is able to obtain a screening test."Another severe weather event will occur this weekend across parts of the Midwest, South and eastern U.S. This comes just a couple days after a tornado outbreak brought at least 23 reported tornadoes to parts of the South, in some cases causing catastrophic damage. At least six people died in the storms.

A part of that same storm that brought the tornado outbreak brought very strong winds across parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast on Friday. Also, a confirmed EF-1 tornado with winds of 110 mph touched down near Middlebury, Vermont. The National Weather Service is reporting that the tornado injured two people.

A few thunderstorms are already popping up Saturday morning across parts of Arkansas and Tennessee. However, as a larger storm system moves toward the region, numerous severe thunderstorms will develop later on Saturday.

PHOTO: A few thunderstorms are already popping up Saturday morning across parts of Arkansas and Tennessee. However, as a larger storm system moves toward the region, numerous severe thunderstorms will develop later on Saturday.
ABC News
ABC News
A few thunderstorms are already popping up Saturday morning across parts of Arkansas and Ten...Read More
The severe risk area Saturday stretches from northeast Texas to southern Indiana. There is an enhanced risk for severe weather across Arkansas to Tennessee. In this risk area, strong tornadoes will be possible.

Elsewhere, the main threat is widespread damaging winds and large hail.

PHOTO: There is an enhanced risk for severe weather across Arkansas to Tennessee. In this risk area, strong tornadoes will be possible.
ABC News
ABC News
There is an enhanced risk for severe weather across Arkansas to Tennessee. In this risk area, stron...Read More
There is also a flash flood watch for part of this region from Arkansas to Tennessee. Locally 2 to 3 inches of rain will be possible in slow-moving thunderstorms, especially across parts of Tennessee.

PHOTO: The severe threat will push towards the East Coast on Sunday.
ABC News
ABC News
The severe threat will push towards the East Coast on Sunday.
The severe threat will push towards the East Coast on Sunday. The severe risk region is rather large, stretching from northern Georgia to Delaware. The most intense storms will likely form in eastern North Carolina up through the Delmarva Peninsula.

The main threats will be damaging winds, large hail and possibly brief tornadoes.
With National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month coming to a close, doctors are reminding Americans that timely screenings save lives -- especially during the pandemic.

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were marked by society shutting down, which included doctors' offices nationwide. For elective procedures, a delay meant a nuisance, but not a dangerous one. For colorectal cancer screenings, however, delays can lead to more significant implications.

Colorectal cancer is an umbrella term for cancers of the large intestine -- the colon and the rectum. It is both the third-most commonly diagnosed cancer as well as the third-most deadly.

As the pandemic unfolded, colorectal cancer specialists watched with concern, knowing an untold number of patients were missing opportunities to catch cancer early enough to treat.

MORE: Doctors warn cancers are going undiagnosed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what you can do to decrease the risk.
"If people aren't getting their screening, we know that a certain percentage of people are going to go on to develop a cancer that otherwise could have been picked up," said Dr. Michael McGee, a gastrointestinal surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

National data corroborated a domino effect from delays in screening to delays in diagnosis. By spring 2020, the number of clinic visits to discuss new diagnoses of colorectal cancer was less than half than in the year prior. As researchers predicted, an apparent drop in colorectal cancer diagnoses did not signal that the cancers were not there, but rather that they were not being found -- or sought out.

Editor's Picks
On March 13, Avery Green, 5, and his parents, Cathie and Al Green of Riverhead, New York, delivered the "hugging machine," to kindergarten teacher Keri Stromski outside of her Aquebogue, New York, home.
Kindergartner and his parents create 'hugging machine' for teacher fighting cancer
Sandra Hoehler, Carletha Cephas and Caitlin Nespoli spoke with ABC News about their journeys after being diagnosed with cancer.
How 3 women trusted their instincts and discovered they had cancer

Why recognizing the signs of breast cancer should still be a priority amid COVID-19
Now that clinics are fully open with proper COVID-19 safety protocols in place, the delays have caught up with patients. Dr. Aparna Kalyan, an oncologist focused on gastrointestinal cancers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, is seeing more patients with late-stage disease than she had pre-pandemic.

MORE: Colorectal cancer on the rise among young people
"It's hard, because you don't want to put the guilt factor on patients," Kalyan said. "So you sort of have to say, well, this happened, now we have to talk about the treatment part of it."

The results of delayed screening and diagnosis will continue to come to light, researchers say. One estimate predicted thousands of excess deaths from colorectal cancer, an effect that may continue for the next several years.

Experts warn that delays in screening go beyond the effects of the pandemic, touching the lives of many minority groups and a troubling number of young people with colorectal cancer.

Over the last decade, while cases of colorectal cancer have decreased in adults over 55 -- thanks in large part to cancer screening -- rates in people younger than 55 are increasing. The late 2020 death of 43-year-old actor Chadwick Boseman drew attention to this alarming trend that experts still can't explain.

MORE: Chadwick Boseman's death puts spotlight on colon cancer among Black men, young people
"A lot of times, young people especially don't think of it," Kalyan said. "But that does have implications."

Similar implications lead to colorectal cancer affecting low-income and minority patients more severely. The reasons are twofold: There's a disparity in access to screening, which leads to diagnosis late in the course of the dise