Why Breast Screening Is Done

How breast screening can help prevent breast cancer

Breast screening uses X-rays called mammograms to check your breasts for signs of cancer.

Regular breast screening is one of the best ways to spot a cancer that is too small to feel or see.

Finding cancer early can make it:

• more likely that treatment will be successful
• less likely you'll need to have a breast removed (mastectomy)

You can have breast screening whatever size or shape your breasts are.

Checking your breasts

As well as having regular breast screening, it's important you know how your breasts normally look and feel. Cancer can develop between mammograms.

If you notice any changes in your breasts that are not normal for you, see a GP straight away.

Find out how to check your breasts.

Who can get breast cancer

Anyone can get breast cancer. This includes women, men, trans and non-binary people.

It's the most common type of cancer in the UK.

The chance of getting breast cancer increases as you get older. Most breast cancers are diagnosed in women over 50 years old.

Find out more about:

• breast cancer in women
• breast cancer in men

If you're more likely to get breast cancer

Some people are more likely to get breast cancer. This is sometimes called moderate risk or high risk.

You may have a higher chance of getting breast cancer if you have:

• several close relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer or both
• a change in a gene (mutation) that makes you more likely to get breast cancer - these include BRCA1, BRCA2 or TP53
• dense breast tissue

Find out more about genetic tests to check your cancer risk.

More information

• Cancer Research UK: family history of breast cancer and inherited genes
• GOV.UK: breast screening for women with a high risk of breast cancer

Risks of breast screening

Doctors cannot always tell if cancer will go on to be life-threatening or not. So treatment is always offered if you're diagnosed with breast cancer.

This means some cancers that are diagnosed and treated would not have been life-threatening. Treatment of non life-threatening cancers is the main risk of breast screening.

Other risks of breast screening include:

• cancer being missed - mammograms do not always find a cancer that is there
• X-rays - having a mammogram every 3 years for 20 years gives you a very slightly higher chance of getting cancer over your lifetime because of the small amount of radiation you're exposed to during mammograms

Most people feel the benefits of breast screening outweigh the possible risks.

More information:

• Your guide to NHS breast screening (GOV.UK)

What to do if you do not want breast screening

It's your choice if you want to have breast screening. Screening does not stop you getting breast cancer, but it is the best way to spot cancers at an early stage.

If you do not want to be invited for screening, contact a GP or your local breast screening service and ask to be taken off the breast screening list.

You can ask them to put you back on the list at any time if you change your mind.

Find breast screening services

Sexual Health Advice

• Sexual Health Advice - Introduction and Overview
• The MenB vaccine that helps protect against gonorrhoea
• Sexual Health - Mpox and its dangers for Gay Men
• What happens when you visit an STI Clinic
• Ejaculation issues are common sexual problems in men
• The Male Menopause for men in their late 40s to early 50s
• Help and care if you have been Sexually Assaulted
• Mental health issues and self-harm are common amongst gay men