1.5 million women with breast cancer screening

About 1.5 million women are expected to be tracked to breast cancer over the next two years, as part of the expansion of the screening that implies an investment reinforcement of 10 million euros.

The estimate was advanced this Friday by the Portuguese League Against Cancer (LPCC), which is to start the extended screening to women from the age of 45 in the coming days.

In early December 2024, the Directorate-General for Health published the standard update on the Mama Cancer Population Base Tracking, which was widened women between 45 and 74 years. So far, women were intended between 50 and 69, fulfilling the recommendations of the European Union.

« It is a widening that will be done gradually and will take about two years. Within two years, we hope to reach an adhesion level of 70%, which is an adhesion considered excellent at the European level, » said the president of the LPCC.

The LPCC estimates that this wide tracking covers at least 1.5 million women, a « big effort, » but may allow diagnosing cancers in the early stages, more likely to cure and quality of life.

« All this practically doubles what we have done so far. It will be two years of effort, but we hope to achieve successfully, » Vítor Veloso told Lusa, as he said the widening of the screenings will imply an investment of 10 million euros.

In Portugal, according to LPCC, about 9,000 new cases of breast cancer annually are diagnosed annually and more than 2,000 women die with this disease.

« However, through screening, it is possible to detect injuries to initial stadiums, before any signs or symptoms arise, increasing the likelihood that treatment is more effective and, consequently, a better prognosis of the disease, » says the LPCC.