THE Cancer Institute of Guyana has announced that it will be offering free breast screening services over the next three months, with the provision of resources by the Avon Community Help Fund.

General Manager, Ms. Fiona Legall told the Guyana Chronicle, on Thursday, that the screenings will be done at the Institute in the compound of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Monday to Friday between 13:00hrs and 16:00hrs.
She said, while persons over 40 years old will undergo mammography, it is not recommended for those below that age.
However, if someone under 40 years has a history of breast cancer in the family, the individual will be allowed to undergo the screening.
In October 2011, the Avon Community Help Fund, in partnership with the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), extended free screening services for an early detection of breast cancer project.
For that exercise, some 100 women were screened and 66 of them were diagnosed with high risk conditions and referred for mammogram examination. Five of those patients who had mammograms were sent for ultrasound tests and the project was deemed a success.
According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), breast cancer is the top such disease for women in both the developed and the developing world.
The United Nations (UN) agency states that early detection in order to improve breast cancer outcome and survival remains the cornerstone of its control.
It adds that the key strategy of population-based breast cancer control is raising general public awareness on the problem and the mechanisms as well as advocating for appropriate policies and programmes.