Breast Cancer Detection: Untapped Potential

Breast cancer claimed 42,863 lives in the US in 2021, but early detection can improve survival rates and reduce the financial, physical, and mental burdens of treatment. Access to screening varies significantly across counties, influenced by local health-care infrastructure and economic conditions.

This report examines disparities in screening capacity, using the number of mammography facilities per person as a proxy for detection quality. Counties with greater capacity report higher rates of breast cancer detection, with more cases caught at earlier stages and longer average survival times. Conversely, areas with higher poverty levels and lower female health insurance coverage tend to have fewer screening facilities, leading to later-stage diagnoses and worse outcomes.

Our simulations show that improving detection in low-capacity counties could identify 17,804 undiagnosed cases and increase early-stage detection by 12.6 percent. These improvements could also reduce treatment costs by an estimated $176 million, as early-stage cases are less expensive to treat. Enhancing screening technology, particularly in underserved areas, offers the greatest potential for reducing disparities and improving outcomes.