One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and while breast cancer death rates have dropped 44% since 1998 thanks to advances in early detection and treatment, these gains have not been shared equally. American Indian and Alaska Native women have seen no improvement in mortality rates, and Black women continue to face a 37% higher risk of death from the disease. At the same time, breast cancer is increasingly affecting younger women, with 16% of new invasive breast cancer cases occurring in women under age 50.
Ensuring access to affordable, timely breast cancer screening is essential to detect cancer early and reduce preventable death. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges Congress to reauthorize the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and to pass the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act (H.R. 2381/S. 1866). This legislation is critical to ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat and survive cancer.
Additionally, the rising incidence of breast cancer among younger women underscores the need for action. The impact of breast cancer on young women’s lives can be devastating. Breast cancer in young women is more likely to be found at a later stage and is often more aggressive and harder to treat. To address this issue, ACS CAN supports the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025 (H.R. 4541/S. 2339) which supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s programs and services that address the unique needs of young women who have breast cancer or who are at risk for breast cancer.
Learn more by downloading the factsheet.
