A 15-year report into the ACT and south-west NSW Breast Cancer Treatment Group revealed the survival rate of women five and 10 years after a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer in the ACT is 91.3 per cent and 81.9 per cent respectively.

Comparatively, the national five-year survival rate was 72 per cent for women diagnosed in 1982 to 1987.

The average age of diagnosis was 57.5 years, two and a half years earlier than the national average.

Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare BreastScreen Australia monitoring report showed the ACT has a higher breast screening participation rate than the national average (55.9 per cent versus 55.4 per cent).

Radiation oncologist and Breast Cancer Treatment Group chairwoman Dr Angela Rezo said the improvement in the quality of breast cancer treatments could safely be linked to the improved outcomes.

"Some of the big changes that we've seen are in the way that we manage lymph nodes with techniques such as central node biopsies, problems associated with surgeries are lessened.

"More and more recently we're seeing oncoplastic breast cancer surgery, in radiotherapy we're seeing more advanced techniques and we're looking at ways of reducing dose and reducing toxicity from radiotherapy. In systemic treatments we're seeing some amazing progress in the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and hormone therapy so there's changes all of the time."

Clare Purcell was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2012.

Still undergoing treatment after a mastectomy and radiation, the 55-year-old credits her survival to early detection and improved treatments.

"I think the treatment has changed so much in 15 years, we've got access to fantastic care with Breastscreen and all of our doctors, it's a fantastic team. I'm happier to be diagnosed now [as opposed to 15 years ago]," Ms Purcell said.

"Breast cancer is something that is really in the public eye I think and that would get a lot more women in to be screened where they didn't many years ago."

Dr Rezo stressed no treatment can beat early detection.

"About 30 per cent of the women in this report were diagnosed through BreastScreen but a large proportion of them went through self-detection. As we start Breast Cancer Awareness month I think it strengthens the message for women to be aware of their breasts and to not be fearful of breast cancer because we do have excellent outcomes," Dr Rezo said.

ACT Health Minister Simon Corbell said: "This is a very significant report because it gives us a long-term snapshot of how well we are doing when it comes to treating breast cancer here in the ACT.

"Their survival rates are now very high and that's good news and a strong reminder of the importance of breast screening."