Choosing whether to come for routine screening

 

The NHS Breast Screening Programme is an effective part of the UK's efforts to reduce the death rate from breast cancer. Whilst screening may miss some breast cancers and not all breast cancers can be cured, the majority of breast cancers found at screening are at an early stage when there is an excellent chance of successful treatment. In 2005, 13,064 women in the UK were diagnosed by the breast screening programme and promptly treated for breast cancer. For more information and statistics please refer to www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk|

Women are eligible for their first screen in the calendar year in which they become 50. In the UK we invite the women from each general practice in turn over the three year period – so each woman receives her invitation before the age of 53 but not necessarily in the year she reaches the age of 50. A few women will be 49. So, if you are registered with an NHS GP you will automatically hear from a breast screening unit.

 

 

 

To help you make an informed choice about whether or not to come for breast screening, all eligible women now receive a leaflet, Breast Screening - The Facts|, with your invitation. The leaflet explains the benefits and limitations of breast screening.

 

 

Previous mammograms

If you've had a mammogram elsewhere, you can still be screened, as long as your previous mammogram was more than nine months ago. If you have been given your mammograms, please bring them to your next screening appointment for comparison. They will be returned to you with your results.

If you have previously declined screening 

You can still come for routine screening even if you have previously declined your appointment. Previous non-attendees are routinely re-invited every three years until the age of 70. Beyond the screening age you can still refer yourself for a free routine mammogram.

 

 

Screening for women over 70

Although women over 70 are not routinely invited for breast screening, they are encouraged to request breast screening every three years as the risk of getting breast cancer does not decrease with age.

Please contact our screening office on (023) 8079 4959 if you would like to arrange an appointment.

 

Women over 70 aren't invited for screening because we have to follow the advice of the UK National Screening Committee about who we screen regularly. The Southampton Breast Imaging Unit is already responsible for screening 75,000 women between the ages of 50 and 70. Women above the age range can refer themselves for free breast screening every three years.

The criteria for offering any organised population-wide screening programme is based on the evidence, not just relating to the benefits of the screen, but also the harms. The harms include increased anxiety and having tests and operations for an appearance that turns out to be normal or slow-growing. Some women have other illnesses which means that they will not benefit from an earlier diagnosis of their breast cancer.