Description
Notice
Women aged 70 to 74 years without any health problems that would reduce their life expectancy to less than 10 years can participate in the Québec Breast Cancer Screening Program (PQDCS) out-of-program screening. To do so, they must speak with a health professional to obtain a medical prescription.
The content of this web page will soon be updated to reflect this information.
Notice publication date: April 6, 2023
Breast cancer screening is checking for breast cancer in women who look healthy before signs and symptoms of the disease appear. Breast cancer cannot yet be prevented, but screening for it helps find the disease when it is still in the early stages. This increases the chances of healing.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer is:
- The most common cancer among Canadian women
- The second-leading cause of death from cancer in Canadian women
In Québec, the only breast cancer screening method recommended is a mammogram.
Breast cancer in Québec
According to the Canadian Cancer Society:
- Over 6,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year.
- About 80% of cases affect women aged 50 and older.
- About 1,350 women die from breast cancer each year.
