Nevada will go pink as part of campaign

Pink is often used to represent breast cancer awareness, especially during the month of October, but this year it’s also being used to make our colorful state even more so. Why?

Nevada Cancer Coalition — in partnership with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, Susan G. Komen Nevada and many other generous sponsors throughout the state — aims to Paint Nevada Pink during October as part of a campaign to encourage yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 for average-risk women, improve communication between high-risk women and their providers about when to begin screening, and increase early detection screening for breast cancer statewide. The virtual celebration kicks off Friday with the simultaneous turning the iconic Reno Arch and many famous Las Vegas signs pink as well as other buildings throughout the state.

Although many businesses will light up pink for the entire month, there are other ways to participate.

Pink Your Business asks Nevada companies to use their creativity in coming up with unique ways to showcase this important duty.

People are encouraged to wear pink during the month. Even the Comprehensive Cancer Centers doctors will don special pink polo shirts.

Employee donation matching gift programs help ensure the possibility of breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to low-income women who are uninsured or underinsured.

Nevada women (and men, too) are asked to do their part by completing the Pledge for Pink, in which individuals promise to schedule a mammogram within the next year and share the pledge with friends and family.

“Taking the pledge says I will talk to my doctor about scheduling a mammogram and/or I will remind a loved one to do so,” said Cassie Goodman, cancer early detection programs manager at Nevada Cancer Coalition. “As a state, we need to increase screening mammograms so that we can catch breast cancers earlier and, in turn, increase survival rates. Mammograms really do save lives and annual mammograms are the most effective in saving lives.”

Comprehensive Cancer Centers radiation oncologist Matthew Schwartz concurs. “Sign the pledge to keep cancer out of your life and take control of your health,” he said.

Participants are being asked to share that they’ve completed the pledge via social media with the hashtags #PaintNevadaPink and #MammogramsSaveLives, as well as use the Pink Your Profile tool or the ready-made Facebook frame. Furry friends are also encouraged to participate by wearing pink accessories or having their fur dyed pink. The photos can then be shared on social media by using #PinkPets.

Paint Nevada Pink came out of the Northern Nevada Breast Cancer Collaborative in 2019 as a way to promote unified breast cancer screening recommendations. The group identified confusion around screening recommendations as a barrier for both physicians and community members. As a response, multiple organizations in the region came together to adopt the most recent evidence-based recommendations from the American Society of Breast Surgeons released in May 2019. Paint Nevada Pink was created to promote these recommendations to the community.

Last year’s inaugural Paint Nevada Pink event consisted of the Reno Arch turning pink for the first time ever as part of a downtown celebration with regional partners, survivors and the Nevada Health Centers Mammovan. Even though this year’s Paint Nevada Pink will look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodman says there is actually a surprising benefit.

“Having Paint Nevada Pink be virtual this year is allowing us to reach the entire state, including our rural communities who face unique challenges to getting screened,” she said. “We want to make sure the entire state knows that we support annual mammograms beginning at age 40 for average-risk women and is also informed about partners they can reach out to for assistance with scheduling screenings.”

Schwartz agrees, saying, “Cancer doesn’t stop, even in the middle of a pandemic. As we continue to see women of all ages with breast cancer, early detection is even more important.”

One reason this outreach campaign is so crucial is that Nevada has historically ranked below the national average for screening mammograms. According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in 2018 the national percentage of women 40 and older that received a screening mammogram in the past two years was 72 percent, whereas Nevada was only at 66 percent.

“It’s so important for Comprehensive Cancer Centers to be involved as we believe the best way to save lives is through early detection with a breast exam and mammogram every year starting at age 40,” Schwartz said.

He reports that a recently published large randomized study out of the United Kingdom in The Lancet Oncology showed that yearly mammograms starting at age 40 significantly decreased (by 33 percent) breast cancer mortality versus waiting to start getting mammograms at age 50.

“The good news is that we have better tools now to detect cancer (including 3D mammograms, MRIs, ultrasounds); we have better tools to help choose the right treatments; and we have better tools to treat breast cancer than ever before,” he said.

Goodman notes that it is estimated that Nevada will see 2,310 new cases of breast cancer in 2020, and 400 Nevadans will die this year from it. Screening mammograms can catch breast cancer in earlier stages, improving the chance of survival. Unfortunately, COVID-19 will most likely cause these numbers to be worse in the months to come.

“Across the country, we are seeing a decrease in all cancer screenings which may lead to cancers being found in late stages,” Goodman said.

“The most common reason I personally hear from Nevadans not getting screened is misunderstanding of recommendations,” she said. “There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what increases your risk for breast cancer, at what age to begin mammograms and how often to get mammograms.

“Recently, I am hearing that women want to put their screening mammograms off until after the COVID-19 pandemic. While this is a valid concern and individuals should discuss the risk and benefits of getting a mammogram during the pandemic with their physician, we have seen a large decrease in screenings of high-risk women, and I fear that this will lead to an increase in late-stage diagnosis over the next year.”

For more information about the campaign, visit paintnevadapink.com and the Paint Nevada Pink Facebook page.