Frequently asked questions

Yes. The Breast & Cervical Cancer Program serves low to moderate income women. According to the income guidelines, you would likely qualify for free cancer screenings.  https://cancerutah.org/do-i-qualify/ 

Talk to your primary healthcare provider for additional resources. Contact facilities that offer financial assistance. Vouchers or discounted rates may be available through the hospitals and facilities that provide screenings. You can also call 2-1-1.

Diagnostic services for abnormal results will be covered. Our staff will assist with treatment referrals for breast or cervical cancer and pre-cancerous conditions.

You can qualify for our program if you have health insurance. The Breast & Cervical Cancer Program is payer of last resort but can supplement what is not covered by insurance.

Yes. Your risk of getting breast cancer increases with age. Please continue to get screened regularly.

You should still get regular screening mammograms as recommended by your healthcare provider. Safe screening is possible with implants. Check with the screening facility when you schedule your appointment.

If you are currently having breast symptoms, the Breast & Cervical Cancer Program can cover a clinical exam and mammography imaging recommended by a provider. Screening MRIs are also covered for high risk women

You may feel pressure from the technologist flattening the breast tissue in order to obtain a good image. You will experience a few seconds of pressure but it should not be painful. If you experience pain, notify your technologist.

A small amount of radiation exposure will occur during a mammogram. Radiation exposure can increase the risk of breast cancer over time but the risk is very small. Studies have shown that the benefits of mammography outweigh the risks.

Yes. Overall, about 15% of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease.

Risk factors you cannot change: age, genetic mutations, reproductive history, dense breasts, person history of breast cancer or disease, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, previous radiation therapy, women who took the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES).

Risk factors you can change: not being physically active, being overweight or obese after menopause, taking hormones, reproductive history, drinking alcohol.

If you are 40 or older, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about getting screened. The American Cancer Society says that women should have the choice to get an annual mammogram beginning at age 40 and recommends that all women at average risk should be screened annually beginning at age 45.

A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast. Doctors use a mammogram to look for early signs of breast cancer. Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before it can be felt.

Family history is only one risk factor. Overall, about 15% of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease.

Pap screening, or pap smears, allow for early identification and treatment of abnormal cervical cell before they become cancerous. The pap smear looks for cell changes on the cervix that might become cancerous if not treated properly.

No. If your pap test does NOT come back “normal”, follow-up testing will need to be done in consultation with your healthcare provider.

HPV screening, or the HPV test, looks for the virus that can cause cervical cell changes. There are certain HPV types that can cause cancer, and these are called high-risk types. The high-risk HPV test looks for those types of HPV that have been linked to certain cancers.