Saskatchewan lowers age for breast cancer screening to 43.

Saskatchewan lowered the age of eligibility for breast cancer screening to 43 on Jan. 2 and plans to lower it further to 40 by June; advocates welcome the change but say it should have happened sooner.

Saskatchewan has lowered the age of eligibility for publicly offered breast cancer screening to 43, effective Jan. 2. The provincial government plans to lower the eligibility age to 40 by June. Earlier in 2025 the screening age was 50 and was later changed to 45. Survivors and advocacy groups have welcomed the move while noting it came after cases in which younger people experienced delays in diagnosis. Key facts: - The eligibility age was set to 43 on Jan. 2, with a planned change to 40 by June. - The screening age had been 50 at the start of 2025 and was later lowered to 45 earlier in the year. - Survivor Karrie Gavin says she asked her doctor for a mammogram before age 50 and was later diagnosed at stage three. - Survivor Lisa Vick said she found a lump but did not meet the age eligibility, waited about five months to meet a surgeon, and travelled to Calgary to get a biopsy sooner. - Jennie Dale of Dense Breasts Canada said mammograms are most effective around age 40 and that younger people with denser breast tissue may need ultrasound instead. - The five-year survival rate for breast cancer detected at stage one is reported as almost 100 per cent. Summary: Saskatchewan's change increases the number of people eligible for screening and follows earlier adjustments made in 2025. Survivors and advocacy groups welcomed the policy shift but said it would have been beneficial if implemented sooner. The government plans to lower the age further to 40 by June.