Breast Screening Advocates Manitoba
Strengthening Communities Through Awareness and Advocacy for Early Detection
Give Manitobans a chance to find breast cancer early!
Two critical issues currently impacting the
early detection of breast cancer for Manitobans.
1: Women aged 40-49 in Manitoba cannot self-refer for a screening mammogram and
2: Women with dense breasts cannot access additional breast cancer screening
Why Screen at 40?
Seventeen percent of breast cancers are found in women in their 40s.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women aged 40-49. Women of that age account for 17.5% of breast cancer deaths.
Women in their 40s represent 27% of the life-years lost to breast cancer and have the most years of life to gain when screening is performed.
Although breast cancer is less common in younger premenopausal women, it is more aggressive because of the presence of ovarian hormones.
Why Women with Dense Breasts Need Supplemental Screening
Dense breasts have two risk factors:
They increase your risk for breast cancer
Dense breasts make it difficult for breast cancer to be seen on a mammogram
Early detection saves lives. Know your normal, get screened, and spread awareness
Breast Cancer Screening Save Lives AND Money
Subtype and Stage at Diagnosis Matter
It's important to note that breast cancer has many subtypes, and early diagnosis can significantly impact treatment costs and outcomes. Some subtypes of breast cancer are more expensive to treat, and the cost increases with the cancer stage at diagnosis. Refer to Table 1 for details.
From 2010 to 2017 in Canada, excluding Quebec, 74% of breast cancer cases were hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Other types included HR+/HER2+ (10.4%), HER2+ (4.9%), and triple-negative (TN) (10.7%).
Shannon was denied a $100 mammogram between the ages of 35-42; instead approximately
$110 798 was spent on treating her for Stage III breast cancer.
She found her cancer when she was 42 and it wasn't a lump.
We acknowledge that Breast Screening Advocates Manitoba serves on the traditional territories of Treaties 1 through 5, which include the lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, Inuit and the Métis Nation. We honour the treaties made on these territories and are dedicated to fostering respectful relationships and working toward reconciliation. We are committed to ensuring that these communities are well-served with knowledge and support about breast cancer screening.