The Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce put the spotlight on breast cancer awareness during its Thursday, Oct. 1, luncheon at the Cleveland Civic Center, where Dr. Matthew Wright of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in The Woodlands discussed the importance of early detection and the challenges facing patients without health insurance.
Wright, a breast medical oncologist, was the guest speaker as part of the Chamber’s Power of Pink campaign, a monthlong effort to raise awareness and funds to help uninsured and underinsured residents receive breast cancer screenings and care.
Before introducing Wright, Chamber board member Brian Garcia thanked the Power of Pink committee, whose members began planning the October activities months ago. Many have personal connections to breast cancer.
The committee has organized several fundraisers and activities throughout October, with proceeds benefiting the Health Center of Southeast Texas to help offset the cost of breast cancer testing for local residents.
During his presentation, Wright said an estimated 321,910 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026. He noted that breast cancer diagnoses are increasing, including among younger women, but advances in treatment have greatly improved survival rates.
The five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer is now approximately 92 percent.
“Thankfully, we’ve made enormous progress over the last few decades,” Wright said. “We still have work to go, but thankfully, it’s one of the more highly curable cancers.”
Wright stressed that early detection remains one of the most important factors in successfully treating breast cancer. Many of his patients have no symptoms when a routine mammogram detects cancer, often before a lump can be felt.
He encouraged women to keep up with their mammograms and pay attention to changes in their breasts. For women at average risk, screening generally begins at age 40, with some medical organizations recommending annual mammograms and others recommending screenings every two years.
Women with a family history of breast cancer or certain genetic risk factors may need earlier or additional screening.
Wright also explained that breast cancer is not a single disease. Different types require different treatments, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy or newer targeted medications.
While early-stage breast cancer is often highly treatable, cancer that has spread to other organs is much more difficult to manage.
Wright said some risk factors, such as age and family history, cannot be changed. Others, including alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and excess body weight, can be addressed to help reduce the risk.
A significant portion of his presentation focused on the difficulty uninsured patients face in obtaining screenings and treatment.
Texas has the nation’s highest uninsured rate, with approximately 17 percent of residents lacking health insurance, compared with about 8 percent nationally.
The numbers are even higher in Liberty County. According to 2024 data presented by Wright, 24.1 percent of county residents younger than 65 lack health insurance, ranking Liberty County 37th among Texas’ 254 counties for the highest percentage of uninsured residents.
Wright said the barriers go beyond insurance. Transportation, missed work, childcare responsibilities and a lack of access to primary care physicians can also prevent people from getting screened.
When screenings are delayed, cancers may go undetected until they reach more advanced stages, making treatment more difficult and reducing the chances of survival.
He said patients with health insurance and better access to medical care generally have better outcomes.
Despite those challenges, Wright ended his presentation with encouraging news. Breast cancer death rates have steadily declined over the past several decades as screening methods and treatments have improved.
“Screening mammograms help to save lives and help catch breast cancer earlier,” he said. “And thankfully, because of the progress we’ve made, we have saved more lives and hopefully we’ll continue to save more as we make more progress.”
The Chamber’s Power of Pink committee hopes to help more local residents benefit from those advances through its October fundraising efforts. Money raised will go to the Health Center of Southeast Texas to help cover breast cancer testing costs for uninsured and underinsured patients.
For information about upcoming Power of Pink events, visit the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce website or Facebook page.