About 12,000 women from Ciocana district of Chisinau will be able to have their mammary glands examined free of charge. A mobile mammography van was brought to the Ciocana Local Medical Association for the propose within the breast cancer screening campaign organized by the National Health Insurance Company, the United Nations Population Fund, and the medical center “Excellence”, IPN reports.

Chisinau Health Division head Mihai Moldovanu said there are 90,000 women in the municipality of Chisinau who should have mammography. It is an obligatory examination done once in two years even if there are no symptoms. In general, it is recommended for women aged between 40 and 65.

The mobile mammography van can daily examine about 40 persons. The Chisinau administration is considering purchasing a fixed mammographic device for the Chisinau Consultative Diagnosis Center next year. Such a piece of equipment costs about 1.3 million lei, said Moldovanu.

“Excellence” administrator Maria Morozov said that digital mammography is one of the newest and most efficient methods of diagnosing breast cancer at the incipient stage. It cannot prevent cancer, but can save lives by detecting it early. The women who will have the examination will receive the results the next day.

Patient Ecaterina Boca has told IPN that she was diagnosed with a breast disease two years ago. She followed doctors’ recommendations and the disease seems to have disappeared. But she has to have mammographic examinations every year so as to prevent the worsening of her state. In the city such an examination costs 300 lei.

The mobile mammography van will be in Ciocana district until next week and will then go to the country’s districts. Rascani is the next district on the list.

According to the Oncology Institute, breast cancer is the most often type of cancer and the main cause of death in Moldova.