Breast screening
Resuming breast screening
The breast screening service has resumed.
We are asking those awaiting appointment invitations to please be patient as it will take some time to fully restore the service and appointment invitations may be delayed.
Breast screening
The NHS offers breast screening to reduce the number of women who die from breast cancer. Screening does this by finding breast cancers at an early stage when they are too small to see or feel. Breast cancer is more common in women aged over 50.
The Scottish Breast Screening Programme invites women aged between 50 and 70 years old for screening every three years.
Women aged over 70 years old are not routinely invited for breast screening.
There isn’t clear evidence that the benefits of screening women over 70 years old outweigh the potential risks of harm. For example, diagnosing and treating breast cancer that would otherwise not cause harm within a woman’s lifetime.
You can now self-refer for a breast screening appointment if:
- you’re aged 71 – 74 (up until your 75th birthday)
- you’ve previously had breast cancer and have been discharged from yearly follow up mammograms
NHS Scotland is working hard to increase the number of appointments and will continue to monitor and regularly review self-referrals. This phased approach allows us to prioritise appointments for 50 – 70 year olds, for whom screening is recommended.
It’s important that everyone is aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and to report any concerns you have to your GP.
The 2016 Scottish Cancer Strategy (PDF, 1.71 MB) (external website) 'Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action' sets out a clear commitment to reduce inequalities in cancer screening.
- 1 in 8 women in Scotland will develop breast cancer.
- Due to improved detection and treatment options, survival has significantly increased over the last 30 years.
- Women are 5 times more likely to survive breast cancer if caught early.
- Breast screening detects tiny cancers, when they are often less advanced and easier to treat.
- Breast screening appointments take place at one of six local screening centres (external website) or at one of the mobile units.
- Out of 100 women who undergo breast screening, 5 will be invited back for further tests, of which 4 will be found not to have breast cancer and 1 will be found to have breast cancer.
Information Services Division's Breast Screening Programme page (external website) has more information on breast screening incidence, mortality and screening trends over time.
Breast screening and health inequalities
There are inequalities in the risk factors for breast cancer, in the uptake of breast cancer screening and in survival rates.
- Lifestyle factors including post-menopausal obesity, alcohol consumption, inactivity and a high-fat diet increase the risk of breast cancer. Each of these factors is socially patterned, with people living in deprived areas more at risk.
- Women from lower socioeconomic groups are less likely to go for breast cancer screening.
- Breast cancer survival rates are worse in women from more deprived areas, in part due to the lower uptake of breast cancer screening.
The 2016 Scottish Cancer Strategy (PDF, 1.71 MB) (external website) 'Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action' sets out a clear commitment to reduce inequalities in cancer screening.
Local and national action
The Scottish Government launched the Detect Cancer Early programme (external website) in 2012. This is a programme of work to improve survival for people with cancer by diagnosing and treating the disease at an early stage. The 'Get Checked Early' Scottish Government website has the programme’s information for the public, including breast cancer and screening (external website). This includes a short video with Elaine C. Smith explaining the breast screening process.
We have developed three breast screening briefing sheets to support health professionals when discussing, and answering, questions that women may have regarding the breast screening programme.
We send women aged between 50 and 70 an information leaflet along with their breast screening appointment letter. The leaflet explains the benefits and risks of breast screening and what to expect at their appointment to help women make an informed choice about whether or not to attend. The leaflet is available in other languages and Easy Read format.
Information for the public
NHS inform provides breast screening information for the public. This includes information in audio format.