Breast cancer rate rising for older women

A BreastScreen Australia report released yesterday shows the mortality rate for 50-69 year olds has increased slightly, while all other mainland states have fallen.

BreastScreen's aim is to decrease mortality and morbidity rates from breast cancer by screening women aged 50-69 years to detect the disease earlier.

Experts say the increased mortality rate in SA could just be a statistical "blip", as overall trends are for an increase in breast cancer survivors.

Researcher John Harding said the overall death rate was going down across Australia and in SA.

"The numbers jump around, and with small numbers there's a lot of statistical errors," he said.

"In some of the age groups you see a big rise by chance and a big drop by chance."

The report shows that in 1995-99 there was a mortality rate of 58.7 per 100,000 women, while in 2000-04 it was up to 59.3.

Mr Harding said the actual figures were an increase of just 55 deaths in the state to 485 in that period.

BreastScreen SA director Lou Williamson said statistical blips were one of the challenges of mortality rates.

"The most important thing to look at is the overall trend," she said.

"What we've seen is a 20-30 per cent reduction in mortality since BreastScreen began in 1991."

The report showed the national mortality rate for women of all ages had fallen from 30 per 100,000 women in 1990 to 23 in 2004.

This figure is much lower as it includes females of all ages, not just the target group.