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  |  Women's Health  |  Women's Cancers  |  Breast care: screening
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Breast care: screening

purple Understanding screening is an important factor of breast awareness. Here, nurses from the Breast Cancer Care team answer women's most common concerns about screening





    51 and not had a mammogram
    38 and worried about getting breast cancer
    Concerned about call back for further screening
    Micro-calcifications found in my breasts
    Will my 72-year-old mother be sent for screening?
    I have had cosmetic implants in both breasts

Question
I am 51 and have not had a mammogram. I thought the NHS screened all women over 50?

Answer
 The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites all women between the ages of 50 and 70 to attend for a mammogram. The names of eligible women are taken from GPs' lists every three years so the next time they make a list you should be invited for screening. This should happen within three years of you turning 50.

Meanwhile it is important to be breast aware. This means knowing how your breasts look and feel normally and reporting any changes promptly to your GP.

Question
I am 38 and worried about getting breast cancer but have been told only women over 50 are screened. Why is this and is there anywhere I can go for screening?

Answer
 Women under 50 are not routinely screened for breast cancer for two reasons. Firstly because the density of younger women's breast tissue means that mammograms are less effective, making it more difficult to detect problems. Secondly because the incidence of breast cancer is much lower in women under 50, which is the average age of the menopause in the UK.

Breast cancer is far more common in women who have been through the menopause and the risk continues to increase with age. When the breast-screening programme was originally set up, the age range of the women to be screened (50-70) was based on research done into screening and the fact that the majority of breast cancers affect women over the age of 50.

Although you are not eligible for screening, it is important to be breast aware. This means knowing how your breasts look and feel normally and reporting any changes promptly to your GP.

Published with kind permission from Breast Cancer Care
iVillage TV - Health zone

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This iVillage Health service area is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child, please consult your family's health provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals. For the full Disclaimer, click here.
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