News release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

The number of new cases of breast cancer is expected to grow by nearly 50% over the next two decades, rising from around 3,500 to over 5,200 per year, mainly because the population is growing and ageing rather than because breast cancer is becoming more common per person. Māori and Pacific women are expected to continue being diagnosed at higher rates than other groups, and the number of cases among Māori women is projected to nearly double. The study also highlights opportunities to improve how screening is delivered, including collecting information on breast density (how much firm tissue a woman has in her breasts, which can make cancers harder to detect on a mammogram and is itself a risk factor), moving towards more personalised screening where the frequency and type of checks are tailored to a woman’s individual level of risk, and the potential use of artificial intelligence to assist radiologists in reading mammograms more efficiently. Together, these changes could help detect cancers earlier, reduce inequities in outcomes and make better use of health system resources as the population grows and demand for breast screening increases.