Australia’s free breast screening program will be expanded for the first time to include women over the age of 70, with the Health Minister hinting a possible boost to screening for other cancers was also imminent.
Until now, the Federal Government’s breast screen mammogram program finished when women turned 69.
Health Minister Sussan Ley said it was the first time Australian women aged 70 to 74 would be targeted for breast screening awareness.
An additional 220,000 breast screens will be delivered over four years at a cost of $55 million.
“Breast screening saves lives. It is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Australia,” she said.
“However, if detected early and managed nine out of 10 cases can be successfully treated.”
A national advertising campaign will begin this week, encouraging older women to get tested.
Cancer Australia chief executive Professor Helen Zorbas said a widespread review of the breast screen program in 2009 recommended expanding it to include the older age group.
“Ageing is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Of the 15,000 Australian women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer, three out of four will be aged 50 years or over,” she said.
Ms Zorbas said with women living longer, early detection and treatment for breast cancer was important.
Ms Ley said screening women aged 70 to 74 could detect as many as extra 600 breast cancers a year.
“Breast Screen Australia has been extremely successful since it was introduced more than 20 years ago having reduced the number of breast cancer deaths by over a third,” she said.
The ABC understands the Government is increasing its focus on cancer screening, with additional announcements to come in the area of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is Australia’s second biggest cancer killer.
But figures showed in 2012-2013 only one third of the people sent tests in the mail through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program returned a completed kit for analysis.
Ms Ley said too few people take bowel cancer seriously.
“We are expanding our screening program and I have initiatives in place to be unveiled in the near future, that will certainly increase the amount of screening for bowel cancer,” she said.
Patient groups welcome expansion
Breast cancer groups have been pushing for the program to be expanded to include older women.
Breast Cancer Network Australia’s Michelle Marven said they often hear from women older than 70, who are concerned when the mammogram reminder letters stop coming in the mail.
“We are really pleased with this change,” she said.
“The breast screen program is responding to the older population in Australia.
“It’s fantastic that women over 70 will be included in the program.”
Routine mammogram screening for women aged under the age of 50 is not recommended.
In 1992, the National Health and Medical Research Council reviewed mammography screening for women under 50 years of age.
It found insufficient evidence that routine screening of women under 50 years of age would reduce breast cancer deaths.
Women aged outside the ages of 50 to 74 are encouraged to talk to their GP to find out if breast screening is appropriate.