One-third of eligible women in Waterloo region, Wellington not getting regular mammograms

More than one-third of women between the ages of 50 and 74 in Waterloo region and Wellington county are not being regularly screened for breast cancer, the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program says.

That's on par with the rest of the province, but Dr. Samantha Fienberg says women in that age bracket need to make getting screened every two years a priority.

"The screening mammogram is looking for breast cancer before it becomes clinically apparent, that is before women can feel something or see something. If breast cancer is caught early, it has a better prognosis and it's more easily treated with the options available," she said.

Women in that age range can go to any of the 12 Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) sites without a requisition from their doctor and get screened.

'The benefit is real'

There was a time where women may have been squeamish about getting the screening done due to it being uncomfortable, Feinberg said.

But she says there's better equipment and staff are well trained to make it more comfortable.

"Most women say it's very easily tolerated," she said.

"I've had the mammogram myself. Everyone has their own experience but … a little bit of discomfort should not deter someone from getting a mammogram because I think the benefit is real."

The call for women to get screened regularly comes during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Dr. Linda Rabeneck, vice president of prevention and cancer control at Cancer Care Ontario, said in a release that there has been a "considerable decrease in the death rate from breast cancer in women ages 50 to 74" since 1990.

She says it's likely due to better treatment and more women getting screened.