Women in their 50s will soon start being called for breast checks as the long-awaited screening programme kicks off next month.
Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar announced yesterday that the national programme would start in the middle of October.
"This service, offered free of charge for women in the highest-risk age group, will make a valid contribution to the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer," he told a press conference called by the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
Women aged between 50 and 60 will be called for screening over the next three years. According to figures from the National Cancer Registry, a quarter of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1996 and 2006 were in that age group.
The screening programme was first announced during the budget for last year and, in December 2007, former Health Minister Louis Deguara said it should be up and running in a short time. The screening programme was mentioned again in the budget for this year, when it was allocated €700,000.
Work is underway on a building in Lascaris Wharf, which used to house an HSBC branch, which is being converted into a screen-ing clinic. Two potential sites in Birkirkara had been considered but were not found to be suitable.
Earlier this month, the health authorities said that each mammogram would be inspected by more than one radiologist in a bid to detect any errors in interpretation. This followed a scare in the UK when a consultant missed cancer signs and wrongly gave 14 cancer patients the all-clear.
Dr Cassar yesterday highlighted the importance of abiding by stringent quality assurance standards recommended by European guidelines. Evidence showed that screening programmes based on good quality standards had significantly lowered mortality rates in other countries.
He urged the foundation to encourage women to avail themselves of the service.
Earlier, Labour health spokesman Anthony Zammit criticised the fact that the programme, which has been on the cards for some time, had not yet kicked off. He said breast cancer was on the increase and it was also affecting younger women and even men. According to National Cancer Registry figures, 12 men were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2001 and 2005.
Prof. Zammit highlighted the importance of taking care of cancer patients, especially because the disease affected the whole family.
Foundation co-founder Esther Sant referred to the plight of women who have their breast tissue surgically removed and were being given hollow rubber prostheses that failed to mimic natural breasts and were considered inferior.
The government has said it was in the process of issuing a tender to switch to silicone prostheses with a two-year guarantee, which would entitle women to a new prosthetic breast every two years.
At the moment women are entitled to a new prosthesis every year, with 372 given out last year.
Dr Cassar said a change in prostheses would be considered when the government's procurement system was updated. "We are trying to look at procurement regulations to start focusing on what patients need," he said.
The foundation will be holding a Pink Day at City Gate, Valletta on October 10 with exercise sessions for the public and a party to raise funds for breast cancer at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday. A walk will be held in Gozo on November 1.