In 2005-2006, over a million and a half (1,622,481) Australian
women participated in the BreastScreen Australia program, most of
whom were in the target age range of 50-69 years , according to a
report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare.
According to the BreastScreen Australia monitoring report
2005-2006, nearly 57 per cent in the target age group
participated, which is an increase on 2004-2005.
'Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
aged 50-69 years is still lower than the national rate, at about
38% of the eligible population, but participation in this group has
increased from 35% over the last five years,' said Dr Alison Budd
of the Institute's Cancer and Screening Unit.
'One of the aims of the BreastScreen Australia Program is to
maximise the number of small cancers detected, since early
detection is associated with better treatment options and improved
survival,' Dr Budd said.
Over the ten year period from 1996 to 2006, the proportion of
invasive breast cancers detected that were small remained above
60%.
Since the BreastScreen Australia program began in 1991, new
cases of breast cancer for women aged 50-69 years increased from
230 per 100,000 in 1991 to 279 in 2005, with a peak of 305 in
2001.
Conversely, deaths from breast cancer for women aged 50-69 years
have decreased steadily from 66 per 100,000 women in 1991 to 47 per
100,000 in 2006.
BreastScreen Australia is a joint program of the Australian and
state and territory governments that aims to reduce morbidity and
mortality from breast cancer through regular screening to detect
breast cancer early.
Wednesday 26 August 2009
Further information: Dr Alison Budd, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1023, mob. 0418 271 395
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. (02) 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications area
for the availability of BreastScreen Australia
monitoring report 2005-2006