'This letter can save our lives': women in Andalucía urged to come forward for breast cancer screening

Women aged between 50 and 69 years old are being urged to participate in the Junta's breast cancer screening programme across Andalucía.

The regional Minister of Health, Catalina García, urged women to come forward for screening while visiting the breast cancer diagnostic unit at the San Juan de la Cruz Hospital in Úbeda in Jaén. The unit has only been operational since October after works, which cost around 600,000 euros, finished.

"Breast cancer is one of the main causes of death among women worldwide. In Andalucía around 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. However, advances in early detection and treatment have significantly improved the results and survival of patients, raising it to almost 90 per cent,” García said.

She said breast cancer screening, such as mammography and other screening tests, play a key role in the early detection of the disease.

"Tumours identified at earlier stages are smaller and less likely to spread to lymph nodes or other organs, allowing for more effective and less invasive treatment," she added.

A letter will be sent out to encourage more women to come forward for breast cancer screening. "This letter can save our lives,” García said.

This year, the target population for this type of screening will begin to expand from the current range of 50 to 69 years old to 47 to 71 years old. At present, the coverage of this screening reaches 75 per cent of the target population in Andalucía.

The Andalusian programme for the early detection of breast cancer has 63 diagnostic units covering the whole of the region.