All women are at risk for breast cancer. A woman in the United States has a 1 in 8 chance of developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime and the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. In addition, women whose close relatives have had breast cancer, especially at an early age, are more likely to develop breast cancer.

In 2012, 826 Erie County women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer and 176 succumbed to the disease. When breast cancer is caught early and treated, survival rates can be near 100 percent. “The importance of women having regular mammograms cannot be emphasized enough,” stated Erie County’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Gale Burstein.. “Breast cancer treatment has its best chance for success when it is detected early, often before a lump or other symptoms appear. On average, between 2006-2010, only 66% of the breast cancer cases in Erie County were diagnosed at an early stage, so we have a great deal of room for improvement.”

Through the ECDOH Cancer Services Program, uninsured and underinsured individuals 40 years and over can receive cancer screening, diagnostic, treatment, and support services for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. The ECDOH Cancer Services Program will determine eligibility, assist with scheduling screening examinations, and provide information at no cost. Residents can contact the Cancer Screening Program at (716) 886-9201, or visit the Cancer Services Program website, www.cspwny.org.

Commissioner Burstein adds, “Erie County provides free screening mammograms for residents who do not have health insurance or are underinsured. I urge women in those situations to not wait and to contact our Cancer Screening Program as soon as possible to arrange an appointment.”

For more information
The Erie County Department of Health http://www2.erie.gov/health/
New York State Department of Health – Information about cancer screening: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/screening/
Breast Cancer Fact Sheet: http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/abouts/breast.htm
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month
The American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/
The National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast
The NYS Department of Health http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/abouts/breast.htm
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation http://ww5.komen.org/

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