During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant decrease in mammograms in Quebec, tests normally performed every two years in the hopes of detecting breast cancer as early as possible.
The Canadian Cancer Society reports that approximately 100,000 fewer mammograms were performed in 2020 than in 2019, a decrease of about 29 per cent. In addition, between March and July 2020, the decrease in diagnoses was estimated at 20 per cent for Quebec. Yet statistics suggest that one in eight women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
The Canadian Cancer Society is re-launching the Memo to Mom campaign to raise awareness among Quebec women aged 50 to 69 about the importance of having a preventive mammogram.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 19, 2022
