THOUSANDS of women may be living with undetected breast cancer after missing screening appointments. The NHS warned about a third of eligible patients did not accept the free test offer last year. Figures show that was just over one million people, and 2.
2million have missed an appointment in the past three years. An estimated one in 100 women are diagnosed with cancer after screening. In 2023 there were 18,942 tumours detected out of 1.
93million women screened for breast cancer, but a further 1.05m women who were invited did not attend. The one per cent detection rate means there were potentially 10,000 missed cases .
Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease in the UK with around 57,000 new cases every year. Dr Louise Wilkinson, adviser to NHS England, said: “Breast screening saves lives by allowing cancers to be identified and treated earlier. “Discovering breast cancer at the earliest stage may give you a 98 per cent chance of surviving for five years or more.
“Screening can often pick up cancer before you can even see or feel any changes to your breasts yourself. Most read in Health “I urge anyone invited to take up the offer.” Screening is generally offered to women every three years between the ages of 50 and 71, when their risk increases.
Scans are carried out in local clinics and hospitals, as well as in roving scan vans in some places. 'Screening was a game-changer' Kathryn Cowley, 58, was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram i.
