Sec. 2. Findings

341 words·~2 min read·/bill/117/s/4440/is/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Congress finds the following: In 2022, there will be more than 290,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer and nearly 44,000 breast cancer deaths in the United States. In 2022, there will be about 14,100 new cases of invasive cervical cancer and about 4,280 deaths from cervical cancer. Black women have the highest breast, cervical, and uterine cancer death rates of all racial and ethnic groups and are more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, a more aggressive form of cancer.

Research shows that the COVID–19 pandemic was associated with a decline of more than 3,900,000 breast cancer screenings in 2020, as compared to 2019. Similarly, cervical cancer screening utilization dropped by 90 percent in April 2020, relative to the prior year. Recent National Cancer Institute studies have estimated that pandemic-related disruptions or delays in breast care and screening are expected to result in an excess of 2,500 breast cancer deaths by 2030. Since its creation in 1991, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (referred to in this section as the NBCCEDP ) has provided lifesaving cancer screening and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, 6 territories, and 13 Tribes or Tribal organizations.

NBCCEDP seeks to reduce inequities in breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnosis, placing special emphasis on outreach to women who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and those who are geographically or culturally isolated. NBCCEDP has served more than 6,000,000 people and provided more than 15,600,000 breast and cervical cancer screening examinations. These screening exams have diagnosed over 70,000 invasive breast cancers and 23,000 premalignant breast lesions, as well as over 5,000 invasive cervical cancers and 230,000 premalignant cervical lesions, of which 39 percent were high-grade.

The program also provides public education, outreach, patient navigation, and care coordination to increase breast and cervical cancer screening rates and reach underserved populations. Reauthorizing NBCCEDP will result in expanded services, leading to more people being screened and more cancers diagnosed at earlier stages.