Abstract B159: Assessing breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening adherence among Black women using the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10)

Abstract

Menopause, defined as twelve consecutive months without a menstrual period, marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The menopausal transition typically occurs between ages of 45 and 55. Despite affecting over half of the global population, menopause and its implications for women’s health remain understudied. This knowledge gap is particularly relevant for cancer prevention. While advancements in cancer treatment and screening have contributed to declining cancer mortality, cancer rates are increasing for adults under 50 years, particularly for cancers that can be detected by screening. Although cancer screening recommendations are based on age and familial risk, individual experiences and management of the menopausal transition may impact the adherence to recommended cancer screenings. Using data from the VOICES of Black Women study, we examined whether menopausal stage was associated with adherence to recommended breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening guidelines among Black women. 508 participants completed the VOICES Menstrual, Hormonal, and Menopausal Experiences Survey between May and July 2026. Reproductive age was classified using the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) criteria. Information on income, health insurance, family history of cancer, and adherence to recommended screenings was obtained from the baseline survey. Participant characteristics and screening utilization were summarized overall and by reproductive stage using descriptive statistics. The mean age of participants was 47 (SD: 8.0) years (range: 26-59) and 94.3% reported having health insurance. Based on the STRAW+10 criteria, 36.6% of respondents were classified as reproductive, 20.2% in menopausal transition, and 13.4% as postmenopausal. The remaining participants (29.8%) were classified under indeterminate due to the following: surgical menopause, endometrial ablation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and birth control use. 96.9% of participants reported receiving at least one cancer screening in their lifetime—with most women reporting cervical cancer screening (91.1%). Adherence to age-appropriate breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening recommendations varied by reproductive stage, ranging from 11.4% among reproductive-aged women to 44.1% among postmenopausal women. In this preliminary analysis, adherence to recommended cancer screenings varied by reproductive stage, with the lowest prevalence observed among women classified as reproductive. Given that cancer screening recommendations are based on age and familial risk; future stratified analysis should include these factors. Additional data on menopausal symptoms, endocrine function, and additional contextual data on pregnancy or breastfeeding may improve classification of women in the indeterminant reproductive stage. These findings highlight the need to better understand how the menopausal transition influences preventive cancer screening and identify opportunities to tailor messaging to Black women. Lauren McCullough, Elizabeth Kirkland, Alpa Patel, Dannelle Charles. Assessing breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening adherence among Black women using the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 19th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2026 Oct 18-21; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2026;35(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B159.