Breast and Cervical Cancer

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Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States—1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. Early detection gives a woman her best chance for survival. Early-stage cervical cancer generally produces no signs or symptoms. Cervical cancer can be successfully prevented and treated if detected early through screening.

Women can protect themselves against breast and cervical cancer by asking their healthcare provider about three simple tests:

Mammogram: An X-ray of the breast that can detect tumors.
Pap Smears: A test that looks for unusual cell changes on the cervix that may become cancerous if not treated appropriately.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Test: A screening test that looks for the presence of HPV, the virus that can cause cervical cancer.

The Georgia Department of Public Health provides breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services and referral to treatment as medically indicated to uninsured and underinsured women residing in Georgia.

Eligibility

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program provides cancer screening services at no or low cost. You may qualify for program services if you are:

A Georgia resident that meets the income criteria
Uninsured or underinsured
Ages 40-64 (breast services)
Ages 21-64 or 65 and older if not enrolled in Medicare Part B (cervical services)

Services

Services provided by the Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) include:

Mammogram/Clinical breast exam
Pap smear and HPV test
Pelvic Exam
Diagnostic services
Patient navigation and referrals
Genetic testing

Individuals under 18 may also be eligible for free or low-cost HPV vaccination. Women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer, or precancerous conditions, may be eligible to receive coverage and access to care and treatment through the Women’s Health Medicaid Program as authorized by the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment and Prevention Act passed by Congress in 2000.

To find out if you are eligible and to access services, please call your local county public health department . For more information about BCCP, contact [email protected]

High-Risk Breast Cancer Indicators

Individuals with any of the following are at high risk for breast cancer:

Past personal history of breast cancer;
Family history of breast cancer in a parent, sibling, or child;
Genetic testing positive for BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutation or other high-penetrance breast and or ovarian susceptibility genes;
Genetic testing not completed, but has a close (first, second or third-degree) biological relative with a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutation or other high-penetrance breast and or ovarian cancer susceptibility genes;
Radiation therapy to the chest between ten and 30 years of age; or
Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley Ruvalcaba syndrome or has a first-degree relative who has any such syndrome.

Individuals identified as high risk for breast cancer by having one or more of the above risk factors should:

Discuss with their healthcare provider to determine the appropriate course of follow-up;
Request access to genetics provider for further education, testing, and guidance;
Request assistance from the GA Breast and Cervical Cancer program if they are uninsured and need assistance accessing genetics or other services.

Guidance for providers for identification and follow-up of the above risk factors:

Screen Screening tools to identify high-risk individuals:
https://www.georgiacancerinfo.org/breast-cancer-gene-screen
https://brcagenescreen.org/
If an individual is identified as being at high risk, they should be referred for genetic counseling, including education and counseling, in accordance with recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF):
If a mutation is confirmed there may be alternate mammogram recommendations and indications for MRI depending on the mutation identified.
Guidelines from the following can be used to determine the best management strategies:
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network: https://www.nccn.org/
- American Society of Clinical Oncology: https://www.asco.org/
- American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology: https://www.acog.org/
- American Association of Family Physicians: https://www.aafp.org/home.html
Determine best options based on individual situation and preferences: heightened surveillance, chemoprevention or risk-reduction therapies.

Georgia Breast Cancer Genomics Project

The Georgia Department of Public Health partners with the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (CORE) to provide a free online screening tool to assess hereditary risk for breast and ovarian cancer. This tool is designed to quickly identify who should be referred for:

Assessment of family history of breast and ovarian cancer
Genetic counseling and testing

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome (HBOC) is an inherited tendency to develop breast, ovarian, and other cancers, and at a younger age. The majority of HBOC is due to a mutation in the two most common breast cancer genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes).

Women with an inherited mutation have up to a sixty-five percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and up to forty-four percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. It is estimated that with appropriate screening in Georgia, hundreds of potential BRCA related breast and ovarian cancers can be prevented.

All women should have a mammogram as appropriate for their age. To determine whether you may benefit from BRCA testing complete the Breast Cancer Genetics Referral Screening Tool (B-RSTTM) located at www.breastcancergenescreen.org. Providers are also encouraged to have their patients complete this tool.

If a positive screening result is identified, start by contacting your local county health department or other provider(s) near you that offer screening. If you have additional questions about the genomics testing program, contact 404-584-1178. Services are available in English and Spanish to women of all ages in Georgia.