Cancer Screening

Stan and Clarence chat with Matt Flory on the importance of cancer screening.

Matt Flory

• Work Experience
• Senior Manager of Cancer Control Strategic Partnerships at American Cancer Society 
• “Responsible for increasing cancer prevention and screening through strategic collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Health Insurance Plans and Quality Improvement Organizations…” (Minnesota Cancer Alliance) 
• Former State Health Systems Manager at American Cancer Society 
• Former MN Director of Health Promotions at American Cancer Society
• Former MN Government Relations Director at American Cancer Society 
• Education
• BA from St. Olaf College
• MPP from University of Minnesota 
• Volunteer positions
• Governing Board President at Minnesota Public Health Association 
• Board member - Color Cancer Coalition 
• Board member - Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance 
• Recipient of several awards & recognitions 

Research

• National Cancer Institute
• Screening tests can help find cancer at an early stage and/or before symptoms appear 
• Various kinds of cancer screening
• Physical exams, lab tests, imaging, genetic tests
• Screening tests can have risks and false results
• National Institutes of Health
• Incidence of colon and cervical cancer has declined by up to 55% in the last few decades because of routine screening
• Some screening can detect type of cancer early and others can also detect cancer precursors 
• Important to make the public aware of risks and benefits
• Screening does not necessarily benefit every patient 
• Multi-cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests
• Blood tests that can detect multiple types of cancer at the same time 
• Still limited research available 
• CDC
• CDC supports screening for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers which are best treated in the beginning stages
• US Preventive Services Task Force
• Breast Cancer *age 35 years or older: B 
• Breast Cancer *age 50 to 74: B
• Cervical Cancer *women 21 to 64: A
• Colorectal cancer *adults 45 to 49: B
• Colorectal cancer *adults 50 to 75: A
• Lung Cancer * adults 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack year smoking history and currently smoke of have quit within the last 15 years: B
• Skin Cancer Prevention: B
• American Cancer Society
• Screening recommendations by age 
• 25-39
• Cervical cancer screening
• 40-49
• Breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer
• 50+
• Breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer 
• Coverage
• ACA requires the to coverage of costs for certain screening tests  (with the exception of grandfathered plans that predate the ACA)
• Important to know which ones are covered according to the recommended schedule in the ACS’s guidelines
• Before getting a screening test, ask insurance company how much I should expect to pay 
• Medicare
• Sometimes required a co-pay or a cost related to a doctor’s visit
• Tests use for cervical cancer, colorectal, breast, lung (if you meet the requirement) and prostate cancer screening tests are covered
• Medicaid 
• Vary by state 
• No Insurance 
• Local health departments may have programs that could provide free screening or event the local state health department 
• American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act 
• Applies for financial stress incurred by COVID-19, which may help cover the costs of your screening tests 
• Screening Disparities 
• Kaiser Family Foundation
• Overall, cancer screening is lower among Black, Hispanic, Asian and AIAN populations compared to white counterparts 
• However screening patters vary across screening types and people of color are more likely than white people to receive certain type of cancer screening
• Despite mixed finding regarding cancer screening disparities, research suggests people of color receive later stage diagnoses for some types of cancer compared to their white counterparts 
• White and Black people have the highest rates of new cancers