Up to 2,000 women in Andalucia affected by breast cancer screening errors

The Junta admitted that up to 2000 women in Andalucia could have been delayed in receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer due to failures in a public screening program.

In the wake of a wave of complaints from women personally affected, regional health officials have finally acknowledged that flaws in communication and protocol left many unaware they required follow-up tests after ‘doubtful’ or ‘inconclusive’ mammogram results.

Some women, after hearing nothing about their screenings, assumed they were negative and stopped seeking further testing.

Breast cancer screening in Andalucia normally involves multiple radiologists – but existing protocol meant inconclusive results, which should normally lead to further imaging or monitoring at regular intervals, were simply ignored.

This fiasco has sparked a political storm. Calls are growing for the resignation regional health minister Rocio Hernández over the failures.

Angela Claverol, president of the Association of Women with Breast Cancer (Amama), has publicly criticised Hernandez after a meeting between the two reportedly ended in tears, with Claverol saying she felt ‘disregarded’.

She continued: “I told my friend that I was accused of having a political agenda. This is not true. I never ask women who call Amama which party they are a member of. “We want this fixed.”

READ MORE: Outrage in Spain’s Balearic Islands after health authorities ‘forget’ to enroll 4,000 women for breast cancer screening

The regional health service (SAS), in response, has pledged to review all mammograms from the last three years and to contact all women affected to clarify their medical situation. 

Patients impacted by the errors will benefit from a ‘preferential circuit’ of treatment, the president of the Junta, Juanma Moreno, said.

Moreno defended the health system of the region, saying “I ask the citizens not to discredit Andalucian Health System.” It is a system which can make mistakes but saves lives each day.

Authorities estimate that about 2% of the cases may have led to breast cancer diagnosis – while Amama has said more than 50 women may have been negatively impacted by failures in the early detection programme, many of whom instead discovered they had cancer through private consultations.

According to Amama, a delay in diagnosis ‘can mean the difference between early, treatable cancer and advanced disease’. 

Claverol continued: “It’s horrible that 2,000 women live in fear. [The Junta] The review of mammograms over the past three-year period will be done to identify possible errors. All women affected will also be notified. They have acknowledged that there was a communication failure during the cancer screening process.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Spanish women, accounting for more than 15% of all cancer deaths.

Breast cancer was diagnosed in over 35,000 Spanish women last year.

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