The Program provides a complete screening and assessment service free of charge. BreastScreen Queensland is a statewide program provided by Queensland Health and jointly funded by the State and Commonwealth Government as part of BreastScreen Australia. Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Australian women. About 1,400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Queensland each year. Approximately 430 Queensland women die from breast cancer each year.
Age is the biggest risk factor.
One in 14 Queensland women will develop breast cancer at some stage in their life and the risk increases with age. If your mother or sister had breast cancer before menopause your risk of breast cancer may be higher than other women. However, nine out of every 10 women who get breast cancer do not have a family history. A screening mammogram is the most effective method of detecting breast cancer early for women over fifty years of age. Women over 50 who have regular breastscreens every two years halve their chance of dying from breast cancer.