Women over 70 urged to get screened for breast cancer

Breakthrough Breast Cancer called for a review of breast screening for women over 70 after its research found that 90 per cent of women in that age group had never requested a screening appointment and 28 per cent of those thought there was no need.

At present, GPs invite women aged 50 to 70 to attend a screening appointment every three years. But, the charity warned, some women over 70 are "cast adrift" because they are not aware of their right to continue screening and to request appointments.

The ICM survey of more than 2,200 women showed that 97% of women aged 70 did not realise they were at most risk of developing breast cancer.

That is despite a third of the total 41,000 (around 14,000) breast cancers diagnosed in the UK each year occurring in women aged 70 and over, the charity said.

That age group is also the least likely to check their breasts regularly, it added. Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "The self referral system currently in place for women over 70 is clearly not working.

"Increasing age is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer but screening and breast awareness messages do not appear to be reaching women over 70.

"More focus on raising awareness of screening amongst these women is needed and this must include improvements in the way messages are communicated."

The survey also found that only 2 per cent of women believed they were more at risk of getting breast cancer over the age of 70.

Two-thirds did not realise they were at increased risk of breast cancer over the age of 50, despite 80 per cent of all breast cancers occurring in women over 50.

Almost a third of women aged over 50 had not checked their breasts in the last month and more than one in 10 said they did not check their breasts at all.

Former Tory health minister Edwina Currie, who is backing the charity's Screening Saves Lives campaign, said: "Despite the publicity surrounding such celebrity sufferers as Kylie Minogue, the vast majority of cases occur in women over 50 - my own age group.

"It's vital that we shouldn't ignore the regular invitation to come for a mammogram. It only takes a minute but it can save years of misery and fear. So go with pride and confidence, and encourage all your friends to do the same."

The campaign is also backed by singer Lesley Garrett, actress Dame Judi Dench and broadcaster Angela Rippon.

A spokesman for the NHS Breast Screening Programme said the programme saved 1,400 lives a year.

"All women aged 50 and over are entitled to routine breast screening and the programme strongly encourages women aged over 70 to self-refer.

"Indeed, last year over 46,000 women aged over 70 attended for breast screening. Policy for the breast screening programme is based on strong research evidence. As a national programme, the programme needs to consider the best way to screen an entire population to achieve the greatest reduction in breast cancer deaths.

"Therefore, in 2004, routine invitations were extended to women up to and including age 70. When the programme was first introduced, women aged up to 64 were invited."