Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is estimated that, in 2015 alone, 15,600 women and 145 men in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That is about 42 women a day. The occurrence of breast cancer is rising, with an estimated 17,210 women expected to be diagnosed in 2020. Despite this, the breast cancer mortality rate has fallen 30 per cent since 1994. Early diagnosis dramatically increases a person's chance of survival. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and during this month we should all focus on the impact of breast cancer in our community and on those affected. Across the country groups of women are coming together for Girls Night In events in support of breast cancer awareness. They will be having dinner parties and movie marathons or simply getting together for a night with their girlfriends to raise much needed funds to support cancer sufferers and new research into breast and gynaecological cancers. The events are sponsored by the Cancer Council, which supports hosts by sending them free host kits with planning guides, recipes, posters and a donation box. Some wonderful women in my electorate of Ryan are hosting a girls night in on 31 October at Kenmore and I look forward to joining them for this important cause.

Yesterday Cancer Council Queensland published some promising information about new research into the disease. A team of researchers from the University of Queensland and QIMR Berghofer, funded by the Cancer Council, are trying to develop tools to classify genetic mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer. Approximately five to 10 per cent of breast cancer cases occur because of an inherited gene change in breast cancer susceptibility genes. This research, led by Professor Melissa Brown from UQ's School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, is vital to working out the genetic risks of breast cancer.

Queensland breast cancer survivor Yvonne D'Arcy recently successfully challenged molecular diagnostic company Myriad Genetics' ownership of the BRCA1 gene mutation in Australia. The High Court decided that companies could no longer patent genetic material in Australia. This decision will ensure researchers will not be limited in or prevented from using the gene information in diagnostic tests. So there is promising news regarding this disease.

But the most important thing we can all do right now is raise awareness to ensure early diagnosis. Most of us know someone who has been affected by this horrible disease. It is the most common cancer for Australian women besides non-melanoma skin cancer. Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms will lead to early diagnosis of the disease, increasing survival rates. In fact, regular mammograms can reduce your risk of death from breast cancer by 25 per cent. BreastScreen Australia has 500 locations available throughout Australia, so, if you are aged 50 years or older and have not had a screening in the past two years, make an appointment today.