Cervical Cancer Detection Up Under ACA

By Jonathan Springston, Associate Managing Editor, AHC Media

Over the last five years, early-stage cervical cancer diagnoses have increased dramatically in women between 21 and 25 years of age, according to a study published on Nov. 24 by researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS), who pegged this trend to the provision within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that allows young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26.

Researchers began by examining the National Cancer Data Base to compare cervical diagnoses in women between 21 and 25 years of age and between 26 and 34 years of age, before and after the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010. Rates of early-stage diagnoses climbed in the younger group but remained flat in the older group.

The study authors noted this trend is important because cervical cancer is one of the most treatable and, in some cases, even curable forms of cancer.

“The findings are based on an observational study and we cannot rule out the effects of factors other than the ACA,” Ahmedin Jemal, PhD, one of the authors of the study, said in an ACS statement. “However, because the shift to early stage at diagnosis occurred in young women ages 21-25 but not in women ages 26-34, this suggests the results reflect a positive effect of the ACA.”

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