How often you should get an NHS mammogram and what age it stops

The Duchess of York is urging people to attend breast screening appointments after she found out she had an early form of breast cancer following a routine mammogram.

Sarah Ferguson, 63, is recovering after she underwent a single mastectomy after the diagnosis.

Here i looks at what happens at breast screening appointment and how to book an NHS mammogram.

What is breast screening?

Breast screening uses X-rays to check breasts and help identify signs of cancer.

It can help detect breast cancers early, at a time when the signs of cancer are too small to see or feel.

About 1,300 lives in the UK are saved each year via breast screening. 

What happens at a mammogram appointment?

During a breast screening, patients will have four mammograms (breast X-rays). Each takes a few minutes, with the whole appointment lasting around 30 minutes.

The mammograms are conducted by female specialists called mammographers. They place the patients breast on to the X-ray machine where it is squeezed between two pieces of plastic to keep it still while the X-rays are taken.

The X-ray machine is tilted to one side and the process is repeated on the side of your breast.

People often find breast screening uncomfortable, and it can be painful. The NHS advises patients to talk to the mammographer during the appointment so that they can make the experience more comfortable and provide additional support. They also state that patients can ask to stop at any time.

After the appointment, the results of mammograms are sent via post within two to three weeks.

How to book breast screening

Anyone registered with a GP as female will be invited for NHS breast screening from the age of 50.

If you do not receive an invitation by the age of 53, you should contact your local breast screening service.

You can find details of how to contact your local clinic on the NHS website.

What breast changes should you look out for?

Breast cancer can develop prior to and between mammograms, so it is important to check your breasts between screenings.

The NHS advises patients should see a GP if they notice any of the following changes:

• a change in the size, outline or shape of your breast
• a change in the look or feel of the skin on your breast, such as puckering or dimpling, rash or redness
• a new lump, swelling, thickening or bumpy area in one breast or armpit that was not there before
• a discharge of fluid from either of your nipples
• any change in nipple position, such as your nipple being pulled in or pointing differently
• a rash (like eczema), crusting, scaly or itchy skin or redness on or around your nipple
• any discomfort or pain in one breast, particularly if it’s a new pain and does not go away

How often should you attend a screening?

Screening invitations are for an appointment every three years from the age of 50.

Patients can opt out of breast screening, but anyone who requests to be removed from the breast screening list can be put back on if they change their mind.

What age does breast screening stop?

Automatic invitations for breast screening stop when women turn 71.

Breast screening is still open to individuals aged 71 or over, but anyone in this age cohort who wants to be screened will need to call their local breast screening service to request an appointment.

In Scotland, you can continue to have breast screening after you are 71 years of age up until your 75th birthday. Again, you will not be automatically invited after you turn 71 and will need to contact your local breast screening service.

Why are under 50s not automatically invited for breast screening?

The breast cancer risk for under 50s is generally low and mammograms of younger women are more difficult to interpret because their breast tissue is denser.

In the UK, many experts believe the disadvantages of screening outweigh the advantages for most women under 50. But younger women with a higher genetic risk of the disease may be screened earlier.

Screening usually begins at age 40 for women with a family history of breast cancer, while some women who are known to carry the faulty breast cancer genes will be offered screening at an even younger age.

Whether or not you are attending regular breast screening, it’s important to know how your breasts normally look and feel.

If you notice any changes in your breasts that are not normal for you, the NHS advises you should see a GP straightaway.

What are the risks of breast screening?

The main risk of breast screening is the treatment of non life-threatening cancers.

Treatment is always offered if someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, even though doctors cannot always tell if a cancer will go on to be life-threatening or not.

Other risks include a cancer being missed as mammograms do not always detect all present cancer, and a very slightly higher chance of getting cancer over your lifetime from having a mammogram every three years for 20 years.

The NHS says most people feel the benefits of breast screening outweigh the possible risks.