The inclusion of women between 45 and 74 years old in breast cancer screening is, for oncologists, a long-awaited response and a reflection of how epidemiology and life expectancy have changed in Spain. Oncologist Pedro Lara, president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Las Palmas, described the measure as "magnificent news," emphasizing that the age range expansion approved by the Ministry of Health is based on scientific evidence and a demand from experts. "It is something that experts have been demanding for a long time," he stated.

Lara highlighted that the change responds to a social and health reality very different from that of decades ago when the first screening programs were established. The emergence of breast cancer in younger women and the increase in life expectancy have modified the scenario. "A 74-year-old woman today is not what she used to be. With the current life expectancy, it makes complete sense to expand screening," he pointed out, recalling that the objective is early detection for more effective treatment and increased survival.

For his part, Antonia María Pérez Pérez, Director General of Healthcare Programs of the Canary Islands Health Service, stated that the autonomous community was already preparing for this expansion before the Ministry's formal approval. "We were preparing because we knew this change was imminent," she explained. Canarias has initiated the tender for ten new mammography units to strengthen the system's diagnostic capacity, anticipating the program's expansion.

It is estimated that this measure will affect approximately 150,000 women in the archipelago. The plan foresees progressively incorporating women aged 45 to 49, while those already included will continue to be summoned every two years, and screening will be extended up to 74 years. The state decision is supported by data indicating that around 10% of breast cancers in Spain are diagnosed in women under 50, and by experiences from other regions like Navarra or Galicia.