Breast cancer is the individual site-specific cancer which has received the most investment in recent years. Since the implementation of the national cancer strategy approval has been granted for an additional 39 consultant posts with a special interest in breast disease across the modalities of surgery, radiology and histopathology. Since 2001 there has been a cumulative investment of €30 million in the development of symptomatic breast disease services. The benefit of this investment is reflected in the significant increase in activity which has occurred, with in-patient breast cancer procedures increasing from 1,336 in 1997 to 1,839 in 2001, an increase of 37% nationally.