Bilbao (EFE).- The Bizkaia-Acambi breast cancer association has demanded that the screening age for this disease be lowered to 40 years.
This demand has been justified by the fact that the average age of those newly diagnosed is between that age and 45 years.
Currently, screening in the Basque Country is carried out between 50 and 69 years of age.
In other Spanish communities and in Europe, however, it is between 45 and 74, as stated by the president of Acambi, Anabel Jiménez, in statements to Efe.
“Every day there are more young people affected and the growth will be exponential, according to experts,” he added.
37,000 new cases
According to what he said, breast cancer in Spain currently adds 37,000 new cases a year.
Of them, about 2,500 are diagnosed in Euskadi.
Jiménez made these statements shortly before the start of the ninth edition of the Bilbao Solidarity Race against Breast Cancer.
More than 10,000 people participate in this event.
With the aim of raising funds for research, participants travel about five kilometers around the estuary.
Later they participate in different activities organized for this day.
The mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto (c), participates in the Solidarity March against Breast Cancer in Bilbao. EFE/Javier Zorrilla
Money raised
The money raised in this race – more than 55,000 euros – will be donated to Dr. Marimar Vivanco.
This researcher at the BioGune center is trying to determine why a treatment that works for a majority of patients does not prevent recurrences in 20% of the total, despite having the same prognosis.
This year’s motto is “Touch Yourself”, precisely to highlight the importance of early detection in this pathology.
Breast cancer has one of the highest incidence rates among all cancers.
The causes of this cancer are found in pollution, diet and stress, in addition to the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, according to Jiménez.
