Angelina County & Cities Health District helps you live your best life by providing breast cancer screenings and services. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in Texas, with the highest priority populations being those aged 50 to 64. Surviving breast cancer depends on how early the cancer is detected. The best way to detect this cancer in the early stages is through regular screening.  

ACCHD offers the following services to eligible women:

• Screening services
  • Clinical breast examination
  • Mammogram referrals
  • Diagnostic services
• Diagnostic services
• Treatment for other acute gynecological conditions
• Help applying for Medicaid for Breast Cancer 

To qualify for these services, a woman must be:

• Low-income (at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, details for which are found HERE)
• Uninsured or underinsured
• Age 40 – 64 years for breast cancer screening and diagnostic services

What are the risk factors of Breast Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Risk factors include:

• Age. The strongest risk factor is age. Women aged 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. The risks for breast cancer increase with age and most are diagnosed after age 50.
• Family history.  A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a close relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Weight. Women who are overweight or obese are at a higher risk.
• Inherited changes in DNA. Abnormal changes to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, passed from parents put women at a higher risk.
• Hormone therapy. Taking hormones to replace estrogen and progesterone in menopause for more than five years raises the risk for breast cancer.

What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Most breast cancers begin either in the breast tissue made up of glands for producing milk or in the tubes that connect these glands to the nipple. It is usually detected either during a mammography screening, before symptoms have been developed, or after a woman notices a lump in her breast. This is why routine screenings are so important; the smaller the tumor, the more easily it’s treated. 

The most common physical symptom of breast cancer is a painless lump. Keep in mind that certain breast cancers can spread to underarm lymph nodes and cause a lump or swelling before the original breast tumor is large enough to be felt.

Less common signs include:

• Breast pain or heaviness
• Swelling, thickening or redness of the skin
• Spontaneous discharge from the nipple
• Nipple erosion or retraction

What can you do about Breast Cancer?

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are things you can do that might help lower your risk, such as addressing the risk factors that are under your control. If you think you have any of the risk factors or symptoms for breast cancer or you are older than 40, ask us about getting a mammogram referral to check for breast cancer. Early detection by mammography leads to a greater range of treatment options.

If you have breast cancer, you may be eligible to receive benefits from Medicaid for Breast Cervical Cancer. Contact us to see if you qualify for this Medicaid program.