First-stage screening maximizes breast cancers survival

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Early detection of breast cancer can raise survival rates to as high as 100% when the disease is diagnosed in its first stage, Riyad Al-Naqshbandi, director of Hiwa Cancer Hospital in Al-Sulaymaniyah, said Sunday, urging women to undergo regular screenings.

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of an event organized by the hospital for cancer survivors, Al-Naqshbandi said free breast cancer screenings are available at the Breast Disease Center at Shar Hospital in Al-Sulaymaniyah.

‘’Breast cancer accounts for around 20% of the cases treated annually at Hiwa Cancer Hospital, making it the most common cancer treated there,’’ he added, noting that a cancer diagnosis does not necessarily mean death.

Al-Naqshbandi said treatment for breast cancer detected in its first stage costs about 60,000 Iraqi dinars (around $39.63). Costs rise when the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage, as treatment becomes more complex and some patients may require surgery.

According to 2026 Health Ministry data, breast cancer accounts for 22.7% of cancer diagnoses among women in Iraq and remains one of the country's leading causes of cancer-related deaths.

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