Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Fall 2001)
TOPIC: Colorado Women's Cancer Control Initiative:
Free screenings early on
 
by kathy hayes

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, and as baby boomers age, incidences of breast cancer are rising. Yet since 1989, deaths from the disease have consistently dropped by one percent a year. Medical experts believe that early detection and better treatments and education are improving women’s chances of recovering from breast cancer.

Reducing breast and cervical cancer deaths through early detection and education is the impetus behind the Colorado Women’s Cancer Control Initiative (CWCCI). The federally funded program provides eligible women with free routine screenings for breast and cervical cancer. When detected early, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable cancers.

CWCCI provides regular Pap smears, pelvic exams and clinical breast exams at 120 sites in Colorado. Women 50 and older and women who have a high risk for breast cancer also receive a free mammogram. To qualify for the free exams, a woman must be: (Call for latest eligibility)

• 40 years or older;
• have no health insurance that pays for these tests; and
• meet certain income guidelines (a woman in a family of four with a household income of $44,125 or less, for example, is eligible).
Special priority is given to women of color, women with disabilities, lesbians and hard-to-reach urban and rural women. 

The screenings that CWCCI provides are key to cancer prevention and treatment, says Linda Miller, the program’s Larimer County coordinator.

“Regular screenings go hand-in-hand with early detection, and early detection is crucial. As a result of these screenings, breast and cervical cancers are being caught at an earlier stage, which means survival rates increase considerably.”

Miller estimates that 5,000 women in Larimer County are eligible for CWCCI, but that fewer than 1,000 women are using the program. She believes that many women simply aren’t aware of the program, but also adds that fear is a significant barrier to women getting routine screenings.

Lynn Kalert, R.N., a former case manager at the Health District’s Well Woman Clinic, concurs. “A lot of women believe the screening will hurt or will reveal something they don’t want to know,” she explains.

about CWCCI

To find out more about CWCCI, eligibility requirements, or participating clinics, call Linda Miller at the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, (970) 498-6751.

breast and cervical cancer facts

In 1997, 131 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in Larimer County. A year later, the number of new breast-cancer cases diagnosed rose to 165.

A woman's chances of getting breast cancer increase with age:

Age Odds
30 1 in 2,525
40 1 in 217
50 1 in 50
60 1 in 24
70 1 in 14
80 1 in 10

Annual screening for breast cancer beginning at age 40 is the most effective way to detect precancerous and cancerous conditions. Early detection increases survival and treatment options.

Precancerous changes of the cervix generally do not cause any symptoms and are not detected unless a woman has a pelvic exam and a Pap test. Pelvic exams may occasionally detect ovarian cancer as well.

Sources: National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Larimer County Department of Health and Environment

“The people who work in our clinic are all women, which helps put patients at ease. Once we talk to them, show them films, and educate them about screenings and cancer, we can allay their fears. Then they follow through,” she says.

That follow-through includes receiving exams regularly. As a reminder, CWCCI sends out a notification two months before an exam is due. 

Follow-through may also include additional checks. When breast or cervical cancer screening results are abnormal, CWCCI provides funding for some diagnostic procedures.