About the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

Authorization

To improve access to breast and cervical cancer screening, Congress passed the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990, which directed CDC to create the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). The NBCCEDP funds 71 award recipients across the United States.

The Preventive Health Amendments of 1993 authorized the NBCCEDP to fund American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, passed in 2000, allowed states to offer treatment through Medicaid to women who are diagnosed with cancer in the NBCCEDP. The Native American Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Technical Amendment Act, passed the following year, provides this option to American Indian and Alaska Native women who receive health services through the Indian Health Service or a tribal organization.

Purpose

Through the NBCCEDP, CDC helps women with low incomes who do not have adequate insurance get breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment services. NBCCEDP also provides patient navigation services to help women get timely access to quality care.

In addition to funding screening and diagnostic services for eligible women, the NBCCEDP focuses on factors at the interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy levels that influence screening. The program supports use of population-based approaches to improve systems that increase high-quality breast and cervical cancer screening. These include:

• Implementing evidence-based interventions in health systems.
• Connecting eligible women in the community to screening services.
• Informing policies that increase access to cancer screening.

Accomplishments

Since 1991, NBCCEDP-funded programs have:

• Served more than 6.6 million women.
• Provided more than 17 million breast and cervical cancer screening examinations.
• Diagnosed 82,827 invasive breast cancers and 26,357 premalignant breast lesions.
• Diagnosed 5,422 invasive cervical cancers and 259,537 premalignant cervical lesions, of which 38% were high-grade.

In 2024, the NBCCEDP:

• Provided breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to 305,992 women and diagnosed 2,062 invasive breast cancers and 702 premalignant breast lesions.
• Provided cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to 134,888 women and diagnosed 82 invasive cervical cancers and 6,825 premalignant cervical lesions, of which 34% were high-grade.

During 2020 to 2021, more than 2.6 million U.S. women were eligible for NBCCEDP breast cancer screening services, and the program served 13.5% of eligible women. During 2019 to 2021, more than 5.3 million U.S. women were eligible for NBCCEDP cervical cancer screening services, and the program served 6.0% of eligible women.

Cervical cancer services include Pap tests, human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, and diagnostic services funded by NBCCEDP.

Breast cancer services include mammograms, screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), clinical breast exams, and diagnostic services funded by NBCCEDP.