Women aged 50 to 71 urged to get screened for breast cancer: ‘Prevention is the best cure’

The Andalusian government delegate in Almeria, Aranzazu Martin, called on women aged 50 to 71 to take part in breast cancer screening on the occasion of World Cancer Day, which takes place every October 19. Thus, according to the territorial delegation, Martin emphasized “the need to continue research as has already been done, since it has been proven that cancer detected in time with the help of existing medical advances should be cured.” In addition, he insisted on the “importance of periodic examinations, since prevention is the best treatment for this disease.”

With the figures in hand, a representative of the Andalusian government in Almeria explained that from January 2023 to the end of September 2024, the Andalusian health system carried out 617,833 mammograms, allowing the detection of 1,983 cases of cancer through the early detection program. Breast cancer prevention from the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs. The delegate emphasized the value of the Program, which provides for mammography every two years for the entire target population (women aged 50 to 71 years) and whose main goal is to reduce mortality from this type of cancer, but in addition, it improves the quality of life diagnosed and treated women by identifying tumors at an early stage.

From January to September this year, a total of 1,470 breast reconstruction operations were carried out in Andalusia, where 98,511 active cases were treated last year. In 2023, 1,818 women used this SAS service, and in 2022, 1,797 women used this SAS service. A total of 427,743 women were invited to participate, representing a response rate of 58.28%.

At the end of April last year, the target group of these surveys was expanded to include women aged 70 to 71 years, so that the target group is now 50 to 71 years old. Until August 2024, 25,999 women aged 70–71 years were called and 14,649 responded to the invitation by having a mammogram.

The goal is to gradually include lower age groups to expand coverage to women aged 47 to 49 years. To this end, the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) is purchasing mammographs with tomosynthesis, a method that improves the detection and accuracy of diagnosis of breast tumors in the population under 50 years of age. In 2023, 28 mammographs were purchased, 26 with tomosynthesis, for a total investment of EUR 7,334,910. In 2024, another 17 mammographs were purchased, all with tomosynthesis, for a total amount of EUR 3,338,946.65.

In addition, SAS is implementing a contract for breast cancer screening in mobile units, with an investment of €795,566.97 so far in 2024. This year, mobile contract units conducted a total of 45,177 studies. In parallel, work is underway on special training for radiologists in the interpretation of mammograms performed using tomosynthesis, with the goal of training 145 radiologists by the end of 2024.

During this period, the opportunity has emerged to query genomic panels for a more precise approach to breast cancer treatment, access to more personalized systemic treatments with less toxicity, and to perform breast reconstruction techniques that are tailored to the characteristics of the breast cancer. each patient more individually and accurately (using their own tissues, new prostheses, fat autografts). At its centers, SAS has also increased the number of patients undergoing micropigmentation, which completes total breast reconstruction by reshaping the areola and nipple after cancer surgery.

Breast Cancer Early Detection Program

The Breast Cancer Early Detection Program, which provides mammography every two years for the entire target population (women aged 50 to 71 years), has the primary goal of reducing breast cancer mortality, but also improves quality of life women diagnosed and treated by identifying tumors at an early stage, increasing the number of conservative surgeries and avoiding unnecessary lymphadenectomies, as well as administering superficial radiation therapy and selective sentinel lymph node biopsy, which will benefit a large number of patients requiring a less aggressive approach.

The Government of Andalusia is running campaigns in both 2023 and 2024 to disseminate the Andalusian Cancer Strategy using descriptive and testimonial videos about the different cancer screening programs (breast, colorectal and cervical) to encourage the population to participate . in these early cancer detection programs. These videos are available on the YouTube channel of the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women in Andalusia, as in the rest of Spain and Europe. Current knowledge does not allow preventive measures to be taken to prevent the onset of the disease, but fortunately it is possible to detect it in the early stages, when symptoms have not yet appeared, and, with appropriate treatment, improve the prognosis by increasing survival. Early detection in most cases allows for more conservative and less crippling surgical intervention.