Breast screening saves lives by finding breast cancers early when they’re likely to be smaller more easily treated.
Breast cancer in Australia
The BreastScreen Australia program started in 1991. For women aged 50 to 74, the breast cancer death rate has fallen by around 50% since BreastScreen Australia began (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 2025).
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in females in Australia. One out of every 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime (AIHW, 2025).
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is abnormal cell growth that occurs in breast tissue. There are different types of breast cancer — some that are slow growing and some that grow fast.
Treatment depends on the type of breast cancer. It’s not possible to tell which breast cancers will become life threatening if left untreated so all women diagnosed with breast cancer are offered treatment.
You can read more information about breast cancer on the Cancer Australia webpage.
Last updated: July 2026