Bulgarian Breast Cancer Patients Face Lower Survival Rates, Experts Warn

Bulgarian breast cancer patients have shorter lifespans compared to those in the EU due to late diagnoses and a lack of screening programs, according to Prof. Iglika Mihaylova, head of the Radiotherapy Clinic at the Bulgarian Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Oncology. Speaking at the National Breast Surgery Conference, she emphasized the urgent need for nationwide screening and the adoption of new European diagnostic guidelines, CE Report quotes BTA

While Greece and Slovakia also lack population-wide breast cancer screening, Slovakia has initiated a pilot program. In Bulgaria, five-year survival rates for prostate cancer, childhood tumors, breast cancer, and cervical cancer remain significantly lower than in other European countries. Prof. Mihaylova highlighted late detection, lifestyle factors, and inadequate screening as key reasons behind these statistics.

The aging population is expected to worsen the situation, with breast cancer mortality in Bulgaria projected to rise by 6%. Over the next 15 years, deaths from bladder cancer in men could increase by 28%, and prostate cancer fatalities by over 40%. Additionally, breast cancer incidence is expected to grow by 21% among men and 10% among women.

Each year in Europe, there are approximately 374,800 new breast cancer cases among women and 4,400 among men, resulting in over 95,000 deaths. The risk of developing breast cancer for women aged 0-74 is one in 11 in Europe, but higher in Bulgaria at one in 10.

Prof. Mihaylova also raised concerns about Bulgaria’s National Cancer Registry, which ceased operations in November 2023. Without an active registry, it is impossible to accurately track patient numbers and survival rates. Between 1993 and 2015, cancer cases in Bulgaria increased 1.5 times, with breast cancer being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.

The conference, held under the auspices of the Bulgarian Surgical Society, aimed to unify diagnostic and treatment approaches to align with global standards. Prof. Svilen Maslyankov of Alexandrovska Hospital emphasized the importance of implementing best practices to improve patient outcomes.