Additional Information by Type of Cancer
Breast Cancer
Cancer Screening and Treatment in Women
Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Women's Health Highlights: Recent Findings
Comparative Effectiveness Review, No. 2:
Effectiveness of Noninvasive Diagnostic Tests for Breast Abnormalities
Research Review:
Comparative Effectiveness of Chemotherapy Agents in the Prevention of Primary Breast Cancer in Women
Research Review:
Comparative Effectiveness of Core Needle Breast Biopsy and Surgical Excision Biopsy for Diagnosing Breast Lesions
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 105:
Measuring the Quality of Breast Cancer Care in Women
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 153:
Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 159:
Collection and Use of Cancer Family History in Primary Care
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 160:
Impact of Gene Expression Profiling Tests on Breast Cancer Outcomes
MEPS Statistical Brief, No. 22:
Use of Mammography as a Cancer Screening Tool, 2001
MEPS Statistical Brief, No. 170:
Use of Breast Cancer Detection Exams among Women Age 40 and Over, U.S. Noninstitutionalized Population, 2005
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Genetic Risk Assessment and BRCA Mutation Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Susceptibility
Screening for Breast Cancer
Preventive Medication: Breast Cancer
Hormone Replacement Therapy for the Prevention of Chronic Conditions in Postmenopausal Women
Información en Español:
Las primeras etapas del cáncer de seno
(Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer)
Agency Press Releases
Research Findings
Research Activities, August 2008:
Poorer treatment and lower socioeconomic status may underlie ethnic disparities in breast cancer survival
Breast screenings are lower in counties with high rates of uninsured people
Research Activities, July 2008:
Women over 40 responded to changes in mammogram recommendations
Research Activities, June 2008:
Radiologists vary in how accurately they interpret diagnostic mammograms
Research Activities, May 2008:
AHRQ's 2007 State Snapshots provide broader portraits of State-by-State health care performance
Pain varies among women with late-stage breast cancer
Research Activities, April 2008:
Poverty-related factors rather than frequency of primary care visits underlie racial disparities in preventive care
Research Activities, January 2008:
Some women with breast cancer do not receive adjuvant treatments recommended by guidelines
Elderly cancer patients who live in minority communities use hospice care less than their counterparts in white communities
Research Activities, November 2007:
Death and complications after breast cancer surgery are rare, with wound infection the most common problem
Research Activities, September 2007:
Perceived discrimination does not appear to affect black women's adherence to screening mammography guidelines
Research Activities, July 2007:
Inadequate communication of mammogram results may prevent black women from fully benefiting from screening
Research Activities, May 2007:
Women with disabilities report poorer health and more problems accessing health care than other women
Older women who are depressed following breast cancer therapy are less likely to fully recover shoulder mobility
Research Activities, April 2007:
Oncologists appear to communicate differently with breast cancer patients depending on women's age, race, education, and income
Model shows contribution of mammography screening and adjuvant therapy to reducing breast cancer deaths from 1975 to 2000
Research Activities, March 2007:
AHRQ and the Ad Council encourage patients to ask more questions and get more involved in their health care
Research Activities, February 2007:
Japanese and Filipino women are much less likely than white women to undergo breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer
Research Activities, November 2006:
Studies examine influence of patient race on primary care quality and hospital discharge against medical advice
Women's self-report of mammography use conflicts with verified reports using claims data
Fewer women are having inpatient breast cancer surgery
Research Activities, September 2006:
Bone protection therapy shifted from estrogen to nonestrogen anti-osteoporosis medicine after publication of the Women's Health Initiative study
Research Activities, August 2006:
Complications from chemotherapy in women with breast cancer care greater than previously estimated
Minority women are nearly twice as likely as white women to not receive needed postoperative treatments for early-stage breast cancer
Research Activities, July 2006:
Surgeons vary widely in their approaches to disclosing medical errors to their patients
Research Activities, June 2006:
Menopausal hormone therapy declined after published WHI trial results
Research Activities, May 2006:
Researchers examine gender disparities in the quality of preventive care and management of heart disease and diabetes
Improved recognition and treatment of emotional problems may indirectly improve the elderly's use of preventive care
Research Activities, March 2006:
Some for-profit Medicare health plans provide lower quality of care than not-for-profit plans
Women need information about alternatives, risks, and benefits of hormone therapy for osteoporosis to make an informed decision
Research Activities, February 2006:
Noninvasive tests may miss breast cancer
A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids is unlikely to reduce the risk of cancer
Research Activities, December 2005:
Misconceptions about cancer screening may be common among women
Research Activities, November 2005:
Some State-level policies are associated with women's mortality rates for certain diseases
Research Activities, July 2005:
Radiologists with more experience reading mammograms aren't necessarily more accurate in interpreting them
Top of Page 
Cervical/Uterine/Ovarian Cancer
Common Uterine Conditions: Options for Treatment
Women's Health Highlights: Recent Findings
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 145:
Genomic Tests for Ovarian Cancer Detection and Management
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 159:
Collection and Use of Cancer Family History in Primary Care
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 160:
Management of Adnexal Mass
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Screening for Cervical Cancer
Screening for Ovarian Cancer
Información en Español:
Enfermedades comunes del útero
(Common Uterine Conditions: Options for Treatment)
Consejos para cuando necesite pruebas médicas
(Quick Tips—When Getting Medical Tests)
Research Findings
Research Activities, October 2006:
New evidence report finds most genomic tests to identify or treat ovarian cancer have not shown clinical value
Research Activities, June 2006:
Increasing cervical cancer screening intervals is cost-effective for women with three consecutive normal Pap smears
Research Activities, February 2006:
Study provides estimates of cervical cancers that may be missed by extending screening time after consecutive negative Pap smears
Research Activities, December 2005:
Misconceptions about cancer screening may be common among women
White women who suffer from obesity are less likely to undergo Pap testing for cervical cancer
Research Activities, June 2005:
Despite revised guidelines, most obstetrician/gynecologists continue to overscreen low-risk women for cervical cancer
Research Activities, April 2004:
Cervical cancer screening every 3 years after three or more normal Pap tests is a safe option
Research Activities, February 2004:
Rural studies examine satisfaction with and cost-effectiveness of telecolposcopy for women with abnormal Pap smears
Research Activities, January 2004:
Cervical cancer rates among younger women decreased over the past 25 years
Top of Page
Colorectal Cancer
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 138:
Cancer Care Quality Measures: Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 150:
Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer: Diagnostic Strategies and Their Implications
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 159:
Collection and Use of Cancer Family History in Primary Care
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Aspirin or Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs for the Primary Prevention of Colorectal Cancer
Screening for Colorectal Cancer—Updated
Agency Press Releases
News and Numbers
Research Findings
Research Activities, August 2008:
Media coverage has boosted awareness of colorectal cancer screening, but messages need to be more targeted
Lack of physician discussion and patient refusal are two main reasons patients aren't screened for colon cancer
Research Activities, April 2008:
Poverty-related factors rather than frequency of primary care visits underlie racial disparities in preventive care
Research Activities, February 2008:
Half of Americans age 50 and older have never had a colonoscopy
Research Activities, December 2007:
Colorectal cancer screening can be improved at primary care practices
Research Activities, November 2007:
End-of-life care expenditures and use among Medicare colorectal cancer patients differ more by age than gender
Research Activities, October 2007:
Primary care doctors should encourage colorectal cancer screening and clarify that screening is not just for those with symptoms
Studies show lower colorectal cancer screening rates and access to surgery among the poor, minority, and uninsured
Research Activities, March 2007:
Task Force recommends against use of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent colorectal cancer
Research Activities, January 2007:
Missed opportunities: Too few Americans are being screened or counseled to prevent
colorectal cancer, obesity, and other conditions
Research Activities, March 2006:
Colorectal cancer screening rates are low among Latinos and people with little education
Research Activities, December 2005:
Both lack of patient awareness and physician counseling contribute to low rates of colon cancer screening
Research Activities, June 2004:
Screening sigmoidoscopy may be less effective for detecting colorectal cancer in women and older people
Top of Page
Lung Cancer
Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 143:
Management of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Technology Assessment:
Report on the Relative Efficacy of Oral Cancer Therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries Versus Currently Covered Therapy: Part 1. Gefitinib and Erlotinib for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Screening for Lung Cancer
Speeches & Testimony
Research Findings
Research Activities, January 2008:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not appear to protect against development of lung cancer
Research Activities, October 2007:
Elderly women in the early stages of lung cancer live longer than elderly men, regardless of the type of treatment they receive
Research Activities, March 2007:
Use of needle biopsy to diagnose lung nodules does not increase the risk of dying from localized nonsmall cell lung cancer
Research Activities, August 2006:
Studies examine the source of diagnostic errors in thyroid and lung cancers
Research Activities, January 2006:
Patients refuse lung cancer treatment for complicated social and psychological reasons
Research Activities, November 2005:
Some State-level policies are associated with women's mortality rates for certain diseases
Research Activities, April 2005:
Patients of thoracic surgeons are less likely to die after lung cancer surgery than those of general surgeons, but volume counts
Top of Page
Prostate Cancer
Comparative Effectiveness Review, No. 13:
Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Screening for Prostate Cancer—Updated
Agency Press Releases
News and Numbers
Research Findings
Research Activities, August 2008:
Lack of evidence limits comparison of effectiveness of localized prostate cancer treatments
Prostate cancer screening decision aids lead to greater knowledge and involvement in decisionmaking by patients and lower screening rates
Treatments for early prostate cancers are often incongruent with previous conditions
Research Activities, April 2008:
Despite lack of evidence of benefit, PSA testing for prostate cancer screening has increased dramatically
Research Activities, March 2008:
Outcomes vary for prostate cancer patients choosing surgery, and no treatment was proven superior overall
Research Activities, November 2007:
Men with localized prostate cancer who undergo surgery may live longer than those who undergo radiation or observation
Research Activities, October 2007:
Barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in black men arise from lower socioeconomic status
Research Activities, August 2007:
Early detection and aggressive treatment for prostate cancer is linked to more use of androgen-deprivation therapy for older men
Research Activities, April 2007:
Urologists' varied use of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer raises concerns about its appropriate use
Research Activities, November 2006:
Many men still confuse benign prostatic hyperplasia with prostate cancer, even after viewing an instructional videotape
Oncology nurses tend to follow guidelines to alleviate post-prostatectomy symptoms
Research Activities, July 2006:
Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer causes only modest depression and other side effects
Research Activities, January 2006:
Improved survival rate after prostate cancer treatment may reflect a statistical artifact
Research Activities, May 2005:
Long-term outcomes data do not support aggressive treatment of localized low-grade prostate cancer
Research Activities, March 2005:
Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer increases the risk of fracture among elderly men
Research Activities, October 2004:
Short-term symptoms of urinary or other dysfunction after brachytherapy for prostate cancer may indicate long-term outcomes
Doubling of PSA blood levels after prostate cancer treatment is linked with an increased risk of death from prostate cancer
Research Activities, February 2004:
Complications from prostate cancer treatment vary according to pretreatment function and choice of treatment
Top of Page
Skin Cancer
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Counseling for Skin Cancer
Screening for Skin Cancer
Research Findings
Research Activities, January 2008:
For patients with melanoma, longer distance to a provider means later stage of diagnosis
Research Activities, June 2007:
Multidisciplinary programs increase patient access to comprehensive melanoma care
Research Activities, April 2007:
Individuals who reside in areas with higher median household income have better rates of melanoma survival
Top of Page
All Other Types of Cancer
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:
Screening for Bladder Cancer
Screening for Oral Cancer
Screening for Pancreatic Cancer
Screening for Testicular Cancer
Research Findings
Research Activities, October 2007:
Accurate laboratory detection of bladder cancer requires close followup with repeated testing
Research Activities, August 2006:
Studies examine the source of diagnostic errors in thyroid and lung cancers
Top of Page
540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850 
