Breast cancer survival rates continue to grow

New figures reveal breast cancer survival rates are on the up. Photo: Getty

Some good news to start Breast Cancer Awareness month – more and more women are surviving the disease as death rates continue to decrease.

However new figures show that fewer women are undergoing free screening tests, which is vital in detecting cancers at an early stage.

According to a report from the Australian Institute Health and Welfare, only one in two Australian women are having the free screening tests. The report also revealed that in women aged 50 to 69 years, death rate has fallen from 68 per 100,000 in 1991 (when BreastScreen Australia started) to 42 per 100,000 women in 2012.

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Breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in Australian women, and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths.

According to Justin Harvey from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the report “is good news, as small breast cancers tend to be associated with more treatment options and improved survival.”

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Figures also show that 1.4 million aged 50 to 69 had a screening mammogram through BreastScreen Australia between 2012 to 2014, however this was just 55 per cent of the target age range.

Under the BreastScreen Australia program, women aged 40 and over are eligible to have free mammograms every two years. They have now increased their target age range to 50 to 74.

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