Rio, 4/5/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Minister of Health, Humberto Costa, has launched the Breast Cancer Consensus program which will work on early detection and new methods of detection. Today breast cancer is one of the principal cause of death among Brazilian women. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2003 there were 9,335 deaths in Brazil from breast cancer and a total of 41,610 new cases.

The Breast Cancer Consensus is a series of rules and norms which was drawn up by 70 specialists to be used nationwide in controlling the disease.

Among the innovations in the program is the reduction in the importance of self-exams, which were formerly considered essential in prevention. "Women may continue self-exams but they are not efficient and should be complemented with exams by a competent professional at least once a year. That way we will establish a method that is really effective in prevention and early detection of this type of cancer," declared the minister. (Translator: Allen Bennett)