In the fall, two monthlong cancer awareness campaigns take center stage, with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) in October being particularly well-known. For 40 years, BCAM has successfully raised awareness, improved early detection, and saved countless lives.
Since its 1985 inception, BCAM has been credited with saving more than 517,000 lives and contributing to a 44% drop in the U.S. breast cancer death rate since 1989. Survival rates have soared from 75% in the early 1980s to more than 90% today, reaching 99% for early-stage detection, largely due to increased mammography.
Despite those successes, the fight is far from over. In 2025, an estimated 316,950 new cases of breast cancer are projected to be diagnosed in women across the United States, with 42,170 expected deaths.
Less widely recognized but equally crucial is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM), held in September since its establishment in 1999.
GCAM has successfully built a movement for education, action, and advocacy for all five gynecologic cancers: cervical, ovarian, uterine (endometrial), vaginal, and vulvar. While its impact is harder to quantify than BCAM’s, achievements include narrowing the awareness gap for cancers with subtle symptoms. GCAM emphasizes early detection and prevention by promoting the HPV vaccine, routine Pap and HPV tests for cervical cancer, and encouraging women to recognize abnormal symptoms, since most gynecologic cancers lack effective screening tests.
The battle against gynecologic cancers also continues. Approximately 114,810 new cases of gynecologic cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States, with around 34,020 deaths from these cancers in 2023.
These sobering statistics highlight the critical importance of continuing to educate the public about the dangers of both breast and gynecologic cancers. Together, approximately 1,182 new cases of breast or gynecologic cancers are diagnosed every day, and tragically, 209 women die from these diseases daily.
Low-income Americans, particularly Black and Hispanic women, face significant barriers to breast cancer care, leading to delayed diagnoses and worse outcomes. Provider shortages, transportation issues, and out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic tests (affecting more than 70% of commercially-insured patients in 2023) contribute to these delays, severely impacting survival rates.
For gynecologic cancer screenings and treatment, low-income Americans can access vital resources through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP). These programs offer free or low-cost services to eligible uninsured or underinsured women. NBCCEDP provides screenings based on income and age, while BCCTP offers full Medicaid benefits for treatment to those screened through NBCCEDP or similar programs.
In Mississippi, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) offers free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to uninsured or underinsured women. Eligible women are ages 21-64 (cervical) or 40-64 (breast), have a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, are uninsured/underinsured, and have resided in Mississippi for at least 12 months. Services include Pap smears, mammograms and diagnostic services. Women diagnosed with cancer through BCCP may qualify for full Medicaid coverage during treatment.
To learn more or enroll, contact the Mississippi State Department of Health at (601) 576-7466 or 1-800-721-7222. This program is crucial for early detection and treatment, significantly improving women’s health in Mississippi.
While these two campaigns are held in separate months, they are not in competition. As we focus on breast cancer this month, the urgent need to raise awareness of gynecologic cancers must not be forgotten. We urge all women to be vigilant in being screened regularly and everyone to help spread the word, especially among our most vulnerable girls and women.
Be aware, then share.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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