Letter: New weapons to fight rural america’s high cancer burden

Dear Editor:

In our decades-long war against cancer, there is much to celebrate. Since 1991, thanks largely to less smoking and advances in cancer treatment, the death rate from the disease has declined by over 30 percent. Many people who receive a cancer diagnosis early enough can now feel hope because advances in medical science have made the illness more treatable. We’ve also seen Congress, including our very own Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), work to ensure that there is access to the latest cancer screening technologies for those most vulnerable.

 However, in rural areas of our country, we are still losing far too many loved ones. If you are a cancer patient in rural America, your odds of beating the disease are far worse than if you live in a city or suburb. Statistics from the National Cancer Institute show cancer-related mortality rates in both Missouri and Kentucky to be significantly higher than the national average.

 Why is this happening? One reason is that those living in rural areas are less likely to get preventive cancer screenings and, consequently, cancers are more often diagnosed at later stages when the odds of successful treatment are significantly lower and treatment costs are higher. Citing just one example, late-stage colon cancer diagnoses are 12 to 18 percent higher in rural areas than in urban ones.

 The challenge for rural health experts and public policymakers is how to address this disparity. Fortunately, both are hard at work on solutions.

 One of the best solutions to come forward is a new tool that can be put to use in any rural setting of care. Scientists have developed tests that can detect dozens of different cancer types from a draw of a patient’s blood – a new form of cancer screening that is revolutionizing how doctors detect and treat cancer. And our representatives in Congress are working to make sure these tests are accessible – in a timely manner – to those most at risk.

 Extensive clinical testing is showing that new screenings, known as multi-cancer early detection tests – or MCEDs – deliver results with stunning performance. They’re being put to use by early adopters like Mercy Health System, and others in the area. These tests are a tremendous addition to our current cancer screening abilities.  Until recently, we were only able to screen for five types of cancer, while 70 percent of cancer deaths come from the variations – like pancreatic, ovarian or stomach cancers – for which we haven’t had early detection technologies.

 MCED tests would be a boost for rural areas in particular because cancer screenings often aren’t performed regularly for people who live long distances from health centers. A simple-to-administer blood test, however, can be brought to physician offices, community health centers, and mobile health vans in even the most remote communities greatly improving accessibility to cancer screenings. These tests could be real game changers in the fight against cancer. Early detection of cancers like prostate, colon, and others can help patients and health experts develop plans – when treatment options offer the best results for success.

 Far too many prostate cancer screenings don’t happen today leading to late-stage diagnosis with challenging treatments and deaths that could be avoided if we had better screening options.  A widely adopted multi-cancer screening tool can be the game changer the men in our country deserve.

In order for these tests to demonstrate their fullest potential for rural areas they need to be accessible to those who are at the greatest risk of developing cancer Unfortunately, Medicare – which covers the vast majority of America’s seniors – does not have the authority to provide timely access to these cancer detection tools, even if they have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Once MCEDs get the green light from the FDA, they will be stuck in process purgatory before they become available to Medicare beneficiaries.

The Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would cut through the bureaucratic barriers and create a clear pathway by which these medical breakthroughs could be accessible to Missourians and Kentuckians alike. There is broad bipartisan support for the legislation – with over 290 cosponsors in the House – and the House Ways & Means Committee, led by Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), unanimously passed the bill during a markup at the end of June.

 Thank you to all the Kentucky and Missouri lawmakers who are supporting this bill. Now is the time for Congress to act and to pass it into law.

 Steve Hentzen, founder and chair of Prostate Network

Kyle Keeney, founder and executive director of Kentucky Access to Care Coalition