Breast, cervical cancer kill one woman every four days

Free mammography screening at Narahenpita Cancer Unit from September 1:

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

Around 10,000 to 15,000 new cancer patients are identified every year in Sri Lanka. Of this, around 2,400 are women with cervical cancer and another1,200 are diagnosed with breast cancer, Health Ministry statistics revealed. The ministry said one woman in the country dies every four days due to either breast or cervical cancer although both cancers are treatable if detected early.

Ministry sources said around 30 percent of the diagnosed breast cancer patients die early since the cancer is diagnosed at late stages and 90 percent of the women in the country do not take advantage of the free services offered by the health services to detect the cancer early. Health authorities recommend biennial screening mammography for women aged between 50 and 74 years.

The ministry urged the older female population of the country to use the free facilities provided by the government to have a medical checkup at least once a year.

The Health Ministry recently announced a breast cancer screening programme for early detection of the disease as 25 percent of about 15,000 diagnosed cancer patients in Sri Lanka are women with breast cancer.

The ministry said a free mammography screening service to detect early breast cancer in women will be started at Narahenpita Cancer Unit from September 1.

The Narahenpita Cancer Unit provides screening tests free of charge to individuals, especially women prone to breast and cervical cancer.