Breast cancer screening extended

May 29, 2025

Centre for Health Protection Non-Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Anne Chee:

We have entered the second phase of our Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme. 

During the second phase, we target high-risk women who are at risk of developing breast cancer. And what we refer to as high-risk are those who have a very strong family history of cancer of the breast or their ovaries, or they have a confirmed genetic mutation. 

Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women in Hong Kong. Among all cancer deaths, breast cancer is actually the third killer in Hong Kong. 

But we know that through a good health-promoting lifestyle, and also preventive measures, including the early screening of breast cancer, we can bring up the detection rate and bring down our mortality rate.

Therefore, we appeal to all the eligible women who are between the ages of 35 to 74, and in case you are at high-risk of developing breast cancer, please make an appointment early, come forward to our NGOs (non-governmental organisations), and receive breast cancer screening so that we can all benefit from this service.

Phase II of the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme will launch on June 10.

The programme provides subsidised screening services to women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer, with a view to enhancing recovery rates through early detection and treatment.

At a press conference today, Centre for Health Protection Non-Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Anne Chee explained that women “at high risk of developing breast cancer” refers to female carriers of certain gene mutations, or women with a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

Participants in the pilot programme must be women aged 35 to 74, holders of a Hong Kong Identity Card or Certificate of Exemption, and registered in the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth).

Phase II of the scheme provides services through public-private partnership programmes, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations, namely the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, the United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service, and the Haven of Hope Christian Service.

Starting from tomorrow, eligible women may contact any one of the designated clinics to make an appointment for assessment and arrange for mammography (MMG) screening on or after June 10. Additional ultrasound screening will be arranged for those who are confirmed to carry specific genetic mutations.

To encourage high-risk individuals to undergo screening, the Government is providing a high level of subsidy under Phase II of the pilot. Service providers may only charge patients a co-payment of not more than $225 for each MMG or ultrasound breast examination.

Dr Chee said: “We appeal to all the eligible women who are between the ages of 35 to 74, and in case you are at high-risk of developing breast cancer, please make an appointment early, come forward to our non-governmental organisations, and receive breast cancer screening so that we can all benefit from this service.”

In the two-year Phase I of the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme, 27,807 women received breast cancer risk assessments. Of these women, 7,785 underwent MMG screening on referral.

Among the women with abnormal MMG results who were referred to specialists for treatment, 409 cases were followed up in public hospitals, with 68 women being confirmed to have breast cancer. Of these 68 breast cancer cases, 97% were at stage II or below.

Call 3586 3088 for enquiries.