McEntee urges Minister to extend BreastCheck for 65-69 year olds

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Helen McEntee has urged the Minister for Health, James Reilly TD, to extend the BreastCheck programme to include women aged 65-69 years old, which is a commitment contained in the Programme for Government. Deputy McEntee raised the issue with the Minister during a Topical Issue in the Dáil this week.

“BreastCheck is a hugely successful programme which has provided almost one million mammograms to more than 400,000 women since it first started screening 15 years ago. The service currently offers mammograms to women aged between 50 and 64 every two years.

“However the Programme for Government includes a commitment to extend the screening service up to women aged 69. This is particularly important when you consider than one in ten incidents of breast cancers occurs in women aged between 65 and 69. And deaths caused by breast cancer are second highest in the 60-69 age group.

“I am pleased to get a reassurance from Minister Reilly that it is his intention to extend the upper age limit for BreastCheck as soon as possible. I know that resources remain constrained, but I think this should be progressed as a priority.

“The Minister also outlined his desire to maximise the uptake of screening in the 50-64 age group. More than 70% of women offered screening accept it, which is very positive. However, acceptance rates for those invited for the first time has fallen to 66%. BreastCheck is initiating an advertising campaign to help raise awareness about the need to go for regular breast screening.

“Breast cancer survival rates have improved significantly in recent years due to better screening programmes and advances in treatment. I hope survival rates can be improved even further through the extension of the BreastCheck programme.”

ENDS