What CDC Is Doing About Breast Cancer

Surveillance

Cancer surveillance is the collection of information about cancer, including—

Which groups of people were diagnosed with breast cancer.
How far the breast cancer had spread at the time it was diagnosed.
How the cancer was treated (surgery, and whether the patients received chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatment).

This information allows scientists to—

See how breast cancer rates change over time and whether more women are being diagnosed before their cancer has spread.
See which groups of people are more or less likely to get breast cancer.
Plan cancer prevention and control programs and determine if they are working.

CDC supports cancer surveillance through—

National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR)
Funded by CDC, this program collects information about cancer in the United States through state-based cancer registries. This information is used in breast cancer research and to answer community questions and concerns about breast cancer.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
The BRFSS is the world's largest ongoing telephone health survey system that gathers information by state on health risks in the United States. Information about our lifestyle (how much we exercise, what we eat), our habits or behaviors (like smoking or drinking alcohol), our family history, or other factors that may impact our risk of getting cancer is collected. The BRFSS also collects information about how many women have been screened for breast cancer.
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
This survey collects information about many different kinds of diseases and how they impact people's lives. It also collects information about breast cancer screening and risk factors for breast cancer.

CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control supports studies that help improve efforts to prevent and control breast cancer.
Supported by CDC, the Guide to Community Preventive Services reviews current research to decide which programs most effectively reduce risk and increase screening for breast cancer.

CDC supports many programs designed to prevent or control cancer.

CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides quality breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured, and underserved women. These services can help find breast and cervical cancer at the earliest stages.
CDC's National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program helps communities combine resources so they can start programs to help lower the number of people getting cancer and help people with cancer get better treatment and have a better quality of life.
CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity helps people be physically active and stay at a healthy weight, which can help lower the risk of chronic health problems like breast cancer.
CDC's National Office of Public Health Genomics examines the ways that research in human genetics can be used to improve health and prevent disease, including breast cancer.