Why are women under the age of 50 not screened?
Breast cancer is rare in women under 50. At present mammograms have not been shown to be as effective at detecting breast cancer in pre-menopausal women (women who have not had their menopause). The average age of the menopause in the UK is 50. After the menopause, the glandular tissue in the breast decreases and the breast tissue is increasingly made up of fat which shows up more clearly on the mammogram and makes interpretation of x-rays more reliable.Breast cancer is far more common in post-menopausal women with the risk of developing breast cancer increasing as women get older.If a woman is under 50 and is concerned about a specific breast problem she can ask her GP to refer her to a hospital breast clinic – also known as a Symptomatic Clinic. This is not part of the NHSBSP, however, the same tests are used in both breast screening clinics and hospital breast clinics.
Breast cancer is rare in women under 50. At present mammograms have not been shown to be as effective at detecting breast cancer in pre-menopausal women (women who have not had their menopause). The average age of the menopause in the UK is 50. After the menopause, the glandular tissue in the breast decreases and the breast tissue is increasingly made up of fat which shows up more clearly on the mammogram and makes interpretation of x-rays more reliable. Breast cancer is far more common in post-menopausal women with the risk of developing breast cancer increasing as women get older. If a woman is under 50 and is concerned about a specific breast problem she can ask her GP to refer her to a hospital breast clinic – also known as a Symptomatic Clinic. This is not part of the NHSBSP, however, the same tests are used in both breast screening clinics and hospital breast clinics.
