In the U.S., there are around 40,300 indoor movie screens prepared to show some of the more than 8,895 titles that IMDb (Internet Movie Database) says will be released this year.

Too bad cancer screens aren't getting such public support.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report says that last year, screening for breast cancer declined by 87%, and for cervical cancer it went down 84%. Screenings for lung and colorectal cancers have also declined, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

That means cancer cases will be caught far later than they could have been, and outcomes will be less certain.

The NCI estimates that if peope get back to screenings, there will still be 10,000 excess deaths from colorectal and breast cancer in the U.S. in the next decade because of screening and treatment delays.  

Earlier this year, a coalition of 76 cancer organizations released an open letter urging Americans to make cancer care a priority. Women ages 50 to 69 who get a mammogram every two years see a 16.5% reduction in deaths from breast cancer versus those who do no screening.

Likewise, getting an all-clear or having a polyp removed during a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy cuts the risk of colon cancer by 40%. 

The cancer screenings that adults need (frequency depends on age, disease risks, gender, and your doctor) include: PSA (prostate), mammogram (breast), pap and HPV test (cervix), a visual skin check, fecal occult blood testing annually, colonoscopy when recommended (colorectal), and for heavy smokers, a CT scan.

Talk to your doctor about getting them on your schedule soon.