P.E.I.'s increased wait times for routine mammograms ‘concerning,’ says radiologist

Health P.E.I. says wait times for non-urgent mammograms have increased across the province, with some patients who are due for an exam waiting an extra seven to eight months for their screening.

If you ask radiologist Dr. Jean Seely, that's too long to wait. 

“It’s always very concerning when there are delays in getting regular screening,” said Seely, who's the head of the breast imaging section at Ottawa Hospital. 

“We know that regular screening every one or two years actually saves lives.”

Health P.E.I. said in a statement that the increase in wait times is due to the the province's growing population, adding that more Islanders are at the age of eligibility for routine scans.

The health authority also said the increase does not account for patients who qualify for an urgent mammogram, which are required when a patient notices a new or concerning symptom — such as a lump on the breast or nipple discharge.

"In these cases, a primary care provider or nurse practitioner must complete a requisition indicating the symptoms so the patient can be scheduled urgently," the statement reads.

Seely, however, said routine scans can help prevent the need for urgent intervention. She said women who participate in screenings reduce their breast cancer mortality rate by 40 to 60 per cent.

“Having delays of six to seven months for screening is really not acceptable," she said. “Health-care departments recognize that screening is very important, but it has to be prioritized.”

One of the most important benefits of mammography, she said, is that the technology allows for early-stage detection — something physical exams would likely miss.

“The vast majority of breast cancers that are found through screenings have no symptoms,” Seely said. 

Mammograms typically result in a diagnosis of Stage 1 breast cancer, she said, adding that the five-year survival rate for those patients is nearly 100 per cent.

For diagnoses at Stage 4, that survival rate drops to around 25 per cent. 

Routine screenings also put less financial strain on the health-care system. Seely said the longer patients have to wait for a proper diagnosis, the more serious — and costly — the treatment becomes.