An increasing number of breast cancer survivors have reported being mistreated during security screening at Australian airports.
Breast Cancer Network Australia has been contacted by more than 10 women who were distressed about their treatment this year, but the true number of incidents is believed to be much higher.
Some women who had undergone a mastectomy were asked to remove their prosthesis.
Vicki Durston, a director at the advocacy group, attributed the rising number of incidents to an uptick in travel after lockdowns and greater use of highly sensitive full body scanners at airports around the country.
"It's very confronting for people that are affected by breast cancer and wearing a breast prosthesis following a mastectomy," Ms Durston told AAP.
"What we're noticing is that security staff, although not rude, are not being as sensitive with someone that will be wearing a breast prosthesis for breast cancer."
The group is now calling on all airports to train their staff about how to appropriately screen breast cancer survivors after Canberra Airport implemented training last month.
Full body scanners pick up items worn under clothing, such as prosthesis, which then triggers the need for a secondary screening.
The organisation says airport staff should not remove any prosthesis and only pat down a person over their clothes in a private area by someone of the same gender.
Breast cancer survivor Sue was very distressed when she was patted down in public and asked to remove her prosthesis while travelling between Perth and Melbourne in October.
"Although the staff were not blatantly rude, they seemed to lack sensitivity and compassion to my situation," she said.
"It took me by surprise, and I didn't know I could ask to be patted down in a private room, and they didn't offer."
