Cancer Plan Minnesota

Goal 3: Detection

Nurse or doctor give man support during recovery or loss. Caregiver holding hand of her sad senior patient and showing kindness while doing a checkup at a retirement, old age home or hospital
Four diverse male and female senior friends wearing face masks showing plasters after vaccination

Early detection saves lives.

Early detection remains one of the most effective tools in improving cancer outcomes. The evidence is clear: screening helps find cancer earlier, when it is often more treatable, and in some cancers, like cervical and colorectal cancers, can help prevent it. Yet despite strong evidence and established guidelines, screening rates remain uneven. Many Minnesotans still face barriers related to cost, coverage, transportation, time away from work and more. These challenges are even greater for people navigating poverty, language and cultural barriers, or limited access to primary care.

Cancer Plan Minnesota outlines strategies to address these persistent gaps by improving access, supporting timely and appropriate screening, and making early detection a reality for more Minnesotans.

Objectives

3.1: Culturally responsive cancer screening

3.1: Culturally responsive cancer screening

Increase screening rates among communities disproportionately impacted by cancer.

Strategies:

  1. Raise awareness through tailored messages about cancer screening guidelines and screening options.
  2. Encourage community members to have primary care providers.
  3. Train providers to use inclusive language and tailored screening approaches to engage all people who need screening.
  4. Enhance cancer screening quality-improvement capacity (patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, and reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
  5. Strengthen community-clinical linkages.
  6. Expand patient navigation services.
  7. Advocate for funding for cancer screening programs.
3.2: Breast cancer screening

3.2: Breast cancer screening

Increase risk-appropriate screening for breast cancer.

Strategies:

  1. Collaborate with community organizations representing communities disproportionately impacted by cancer to raise awareness about breast cancer screening recommendations.
  2. Enhance cancer screening quality-improvement capacity (patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
  3. Expand mobile mammography services.
3.3: Cervical cancer screening

3.3: Cervical cancer screening

Increase risk-appropriate screening for cervical cancer.

Strategies:

  1. Collaborate with community organizations representing communities disproportionately impacted by cancer to raise awareness about cervical cancer screening recommendations.
  2. Enhance cancer screening quality-improvement capacity (patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
  3. Expand availability of self-test options.
3.4: Colorectal cancer screening

3.4: Colorectal cancer screening

Increase supply and representation of the cancer care workforce.

Strategies:

  1. Collaborate with community organizations representing communities disproportionately impacted by cancer to raise awareness about colorectal cancer screening recommendations.
  2. Enhance cancer screening quality improvement capacity (e.g., patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, patient navigation, reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
  3. Encourage healthcare providers to consider and discuss multiple colorectal cancer screening test options for average-risk patients.
3.5: Lung cancer screening

3.5: Lung cancer screening

Increase risk-appropriate screening for lung cancer.

Strategies:

  1. Collaborate with community organizations representing communities disproportionately impacted by cancer to raise awareness about lung cancer screening recommendations.
  2. Enhance cancer screening quality-improvement capacity (patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
  3. Adopt and use existing tools and evidence-based practices to capture smoking history and refer to low-dose CT screening.
  4. Expand use of mobile technology to increase uptake of lung cancer screening.
3.6: Prostate cancer screening

3.6: Prostate cancer screening

Increase risk-awareness and promote shared decision-making about prostate cancer screening.

Strategies:

  1. Collaborate with community organizations representing communities disproportionately impacted by cancer to raise awareness about prostate cancer shared decision-making recommendations.
  2. Enhance cancer screening quality-improvement capacity (patient reminders, provider reminders, provider assessment and feedback, reducing structural barriers) in healthcare settings.
3.7: Genetic testing & counseling

3.7: Genetic testing and counseling

Increase access to cancer risk assessment and appropriate genetic counseling services.

Strategies:

  1. Educate people about hereditary cancers and genetic counseling services.
  2. Train providers about hereditary cancers and appropriate referral to genetic counseling services.
  3. Promote appropriate genetic screening for people diagnosed with cancer.
  4. Advocate for policies that increase insurance coverage of genetic counseling and testing.
3.8: Screening and early detection research

3.8: Screening and early detection research

Expand research to improve screening and early detection.

Strategies:

  1. Develop and test new screening methods, especially for cancers not currently considered screenable.

Start typing and press Enter to search