Breast cancer screening age lowered to 40

Newfoundland and Labrador is broadening its screening program in an attempt to detect breast cancers in more women.

The province's mammography program has been available to women older than50, although Tuesday's budget set aside money to lower the age to 40.

Those women, though, will need to have a referral from the primary care provider, usually a family doctor.

Liberal MHA Yvonne Jones, a breast cancer survivor who has campaigned for younger screening ages, welcomed the move.

"While we still won't be able to self-refer, we now have the option of going to our doctor asking for a referral and being granted that referral even if we don't have a genetic history of breast cancer in our family," Jones said.

Dr. Pradip Ganguly, a retired St. John's oncologist, said the decision to extend screening is a good move.

He told CBC News he had studied the provincial tumour registry, and that the evidence was clear.

"What we found was it was a pretty significant number from 39-49," Ganguly said. "[It] was worth recommending [that] some sort of screening for them should be available because we see them in the clinic."

Meanwhile, the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurse Practitioner Association said it also supported the move, noting that its members are able to refer patients for mammography.

"[We] will support this change in breast cancer screening criteria to ensure that client health needs are met," president Kelly Power-Kean said in a statement Wednesday.

Marshall said the decision was made following a recommendation from the Provincial Cancer Control Advisory Committee.

The budget also revealed thatgovernment is adding a new mammography unit at James Paton Memorial Hospital in Gander.

The new policy will also be implemented at existing mammography units in St. John's and Corner Brook.