Bogotá, October 19, 2021. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection joins the commemoration of the International Day Against Cancer this October 19th, to raise awareness of the importance of timely detection and treatment.
Worldwide, Colombia included, breast cancer is the most frequent form in women, not only in the number of new cases diagnosed each year but also the cancer that represents the highest mortality rate in this population.
"We have rights and duties on this issue, recognizing, for example, that mammography starting at 50 years old is mandatory in Colombia, and that examination is also mandatory from the age of 40," recalled Nubia Bautista, deputy director of Noncommunicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health.
According to Globocan estimates, more than 2 million women were diagnosed with this pathology in 2020 and figures in Colombia surpassed 15,000 women. Likewise, breast cancer represented the main cause of cancer deaths of women in the country, with an estimated age-adjusted mortality rate for Colombia of 13 deaths in women per 100,000 inhabitants.
"For this reason, it is a public health concern and a priority in the formulation of policies, strategies and interventions to prevent appearance and, if diagnosed, to reduce the burden of the disease and increase the survival of the people who suffer from it" the deputy director explained.
Situation in the country
Globocan data also indicates that, in 2020, 15,509 new cases were diagnosed in the country, representing an incidence of 48.3 per 100,000 women of all ages. Regarding mortality, an estimated total of 4,411 women died from the disease in that year, with an adjusted mortality of 13.1 per 100,000 women.
For their part, the provinces that should most strengthen early detection strategies, due to their high incidence of cases, are:
· Valle del Cauca: 43.5 affected per 100,000 inhabitants
· Atlántico: 42.8 affected per 100,000 inhabitants
· San Andrés: 41.9 affected per 100,000 inhabitants
· Arauca: 39.9 affected per 100,000 inhabitants
· Quindío: 38.9 affected per 100,000 inhabitants
Early detection
Concerning the above scenario, the sustained deployment of actions to strengthen health promotion and early detection of breast cancer by territorial entities, EAPB and IPSs is essential and a priority, said Bautista.
She recalls that the main screening test for breast cancer is available in the Health Benefits Plan, which became mandatory as of the issuance of Resolution 3280, 2018.
The implementation of this test in the General System of Health Care Social Security (SGSSS) will occur progressively (Resolution 276, 2019), and the technology included is:
· Bilateral mammography for women 50-69 years old, performed every 2 years in case of normal results (Bi-Rads 1 and 2).
· Population-based screening includes the clinical examination of the breast from the age of 40 and must be performed every year.
Additionally, the Comprehensive Health Care Pathway for people at risk or with a diagnosis of breast cancer establishes the necessary interventions and describes their flow in order to optimize the care and the passage of the patient within the SGSSS.
