Sask. women under 50 will soon be eligible for breast cancer screening

Beginning on Jan. 1, more Saskatchewan women will be able to access breast cancer screening as the province takes a phased approach to lower age eligibility.

Currently, women between the ages of 50 to 74 are currently eligible to get a mammogram, according to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA). Women between the ages of 47 to 49 will become eligible on Jan.1 during the first phase.

Breast cancer screening will be open to women between the ages of 45 to 47 beginning on the next phase on June 1. The eligibility age will then be gradually lowered to include women who are between the ages of 40 to 45.

The province first announced the expansion of breast cancer screening in September. 

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A doctor’s referral is not needed to book an appointment. To be eligible, women must be the current appropriate age, have no breast cancer symptoms such as lumps, discharge, or skin changes, not have breast implants, not in an active follow-up for breast cancer, and have been cancer free for five years.

Screening mammograms are for healthy woman, while diagnostic mammograms are for women who have breast cancer symptoms, according to the SCA.

Approximately 75 per cent of breast cancers diagnosed through the SCA’s screening program are early stage, the agency said. Expanding the age to 40 will increase the eligible population by about 76,000 women.

To book an appointment or for more information, women can call 1-855-584-8228 or visit the Mobile Mammography Unit.