Penza, 7 November 2013. PenzaNews. Penza regional oncologic dispensary organizes Doors Open Day for women to undergo mammographic assessment on Saturdays without prescriptions and setting up appointments, starting from November 9 and up to the end of 2013.

According to the Deputy Chief Doctor for organizational and methodological work of the regional oncologic dispensary Galina Blinova, this initiative is targeted at those patients who are for some reasons not able to visit a mammologist on workdays.

“We invite women of 40 years old and older to examine breasts to the polyclinic of the oncologic dispensary from 9.00 till 14.00,” she said, adding that women should only have a policy of obligatory medical insurance and a passport.

The press service of the Ministry of Health of the Penza region told news agency PenzaNews that more than 500 cases of breast cancer are annually detected in the region.

“Over the last 5 years incidence rate has increased. At present more than 4,860 women are registered in the dispensaries. The main problem is the late illness identifying – every third case registered is the advanced stage of the disease. For instance, in 2012 among 558 detected cancer cases 198 women had breast cancer of the third-fourth stages,” the Ministry said.