ACA Increased Cancer Screenings, Early Diagnosis

Recent research presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting found that after implementation of the ACA, there was a slight increase in the percentage of cancers diagnosed at an earlier, more treatable stage.

“We know from previous research that lack of insurance typically results in diagnosis of cancer at a later, and usually less treatable, stage,” Xuesong Han, PhD, strategic director of health policy and healthcare delivery research at the American Cancer Society, said in a press release. “Although we only analyzed data from a limited timeframe, the fact that there appears to be a positive trend in diagnosis at an earlier stage in multiple cancers is an encouraging sign.”

The researchers studied how ACA implementation impacted screening methods and early diagnosis for breast, lung, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers. They studied patients younger than 65 years who were eligible for screening and diagnosed in 2013 and 2014. They then compared patients from the first 9 months of 2013 to patients from the remainder of the study period in order to determine trends in cancer screening and stage at diagnosis. 

Study results showed that there was a 1% increase in the amount of stage I diagnoses for four of the five cancer types studied, including breast,
cervical, lung, and colorectal cancers. The researchers added that the difference was not statistically significant for cervical cancer stage I diagnoses (47.3% vs 48.8%).

Additionally, Dr Han and colleagues also highlighted the reduction in prostate cancer diagnoses, from 18.5% to 17.2%. 

“We think this may reflect the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against PSA [prostate-specific antigen] testing in 2012,” Dr Han said while discussing the study at a press conference. —David Costill