Most political parties silent on additional breast screening for women at higher risk

Four out of seven political parties have failed to answer whether they would fund additional breast screening for women at higher risk – even as more women come forward with stories of cancers missed by mammograms.

Recent reporting by The Press found growing political support for routinely telling women their breast density. Breast Cancer Foundation NZ followed up by asking ACT, Greens, Labour, National, NZ First, Opportunity and Te Pāti Māori a critical next question: will parties explore funding additional screening for women identified as being at higher risk?

Labour, Opportunity and Te Pāti Māori responded:

• Labour said it was open to hearing from advocates and taking official advice on a supplementary imaging pathway. It also committed to seeking advice in its first 100 days on accelerating the introduction of breast density reporting.
• Opportunity gave a clear yes, saying it supported exploring a funded pathway, with eligibility and the type of screening determined by BreastScreen Aotearoa and clinical experts.
• Te Pāti Māori confirmed it would explore funding for a supplementary imaging pathway for high-risk women.

Breast density also featured in the NZ Herald leaders’ debate on 14 October. Asked whether women screened through the public system should be told if they have dense breasts, both Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon said they didn’t know enough about the issue to make a commitment.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Vanessa Sorenson says the response from three parties to its question is encouraging, but women deserve answers from all those seeking to form the next government.

“Mammograms are still one of the best tools we have to detect breast cancer early, but they can be less effective in women with extremely dense breasts. Breast density puts women at higher risk of developing breast cancer, while also making cancer harder to see on a mammogram. Yet women are not routinely told about their density through the public screening programme,” Vanessa says.

“We’re increasingly hearing from women whose cancers were not detected on mammograms and who only learnt after diagnosis that they have dense breasts. Women have a right to know about their breast density, but information must be matched with access to screening that is appropriate for their risk.”

As part of its 2026 Election Manifesto, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is calling on the next government to:

• Require BreastScreen Aotearoa to include breast density in every screening result;
• Fund additional screening for women identified as having a higher risk of breast cancer; and
• Begin a phased rollout of contrast-enhanced mammography, where clinically appropriate.

Contrast-enhanced mammography, or CEM, uses a contrast dye to help make cancers more visible. Research shows it can detect cancers in dense breast tissue that may be difficult to see on a standard mammogram. Around 1 in 10 women have extremely dense breasts. For these women, standard mammograms may detect only around half of cancers.

Vanessa says women need political parties to move beyond recognising the problem and commit to addressing it:

“Telling women their density is only the first step. Reporting should begin as soon as possible, alongside work to determine what screening women at higher risk should receive.

“Without a funded pathway, women who can afford to pay privately may be able to access additional screening, while others can’t. A woman’s ability to get the screening she needs should be based on her clinical risk, not her bank balance.”

Breast density reporting is increasingly becoming the standard practice internationally. It’s mandatory at the federal level in the United States and largely standardised or required across most provinces and territories in Canada. Australia has been introducing reporting progressively across states, with women identified as having high density advised to discuss their overall risk and possible screening options with their GP.

In 2023, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists – the professional body representing radiologists in both countries – recommended mandatory reporting of breast density.

Promoted by Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, Vanessa Sorenson, PO Box 99650.