CDC publishes cancer screening stats

Editor's Note

More adults are getting screening tests for colorectal cancer but not for breast or cervical cancers, according to new data from the Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From 2000 to 2015, the rate of colorectal cancer screening increased from 33% to 62% in men and from 35% to 63% in women. Cervical cancer screening decreased from 88% to 83% in women aged 21 to 65 years. Breast cancer screening for women aged 50 to 74 years remained constant at 72%.

Successful programs that have increased screening rates will continue, and new ways to reach people who are not getting recommended cancer screenings will be pursued, the CDC says.

Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) includes objectives to increase screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer () as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).* Progress toward meeting these objectives is monitored by measuring cancer screening test use against national targets using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) ( 1).