Women in the Black Country are being reminded to come forward if they receive a breast cancer screening invite.
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK. The main signs and symptoms of breast cancer in women often include:
- a lump or swelling in your breast, chest or armpit
- a change in the skin of your breast, such as dimpling, or redness (which may be harder to see on black or brown skin)
- a change in size or shape of one or both breasts
- nipple discharge (if you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding), which may have blood in it
- a change in the shape or look of your nipple, such as turning inwards or a rash on it
- pain in your breast or armpit which does not go away.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites all women from the age of 50 to 71 registered with a GP for screening every 3 years. This involves taking X-rays of the breasts, called mammograms, and these are then used to identify changes in the breast tissue that could indicate early signs of cancer.
Dr Salma Reehana, GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “We know lives are saved when cancers are caught early which is why it’s vital to come forward if you receive a breast screening appointment. Screening can help detect cancer before you can feel or see any changes in your breast yourself, and early diagnosis can make all the difference.
“It’s also important that women of all ages are aware of their breast health and know how to check themselves for cancer symptoms – this means getting to know how your breasts look and feel at different times.
“If you notice any unusual change in your breasts, please book an appointment to see your GP as soon as possible, even if you’ve recently had a screening appointment. The chances are that it won’t be cancer, but if it is, then catching it early means it will be more treatable.”
If you have not been invited for breast screening by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, contact your local breast screening service.
For more information about breast cancer screening in the Black Country, click here.
