WHAT IS BREAST SCREENING? Breast screening is a method of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage. The first step involves an x-ray of each breast – a mammogram – which is taken while carefully compressing the breast. Most women find it a bit…

How is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC ) detected? Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) can be difficult to detect by mammography. ILC cancer cells grow more diffusely in the breast and often do not cause the changes seen with other types of breast cancer, such as a…

What is the incidence of breast cancer? In 2008 there were 47,693 new registrations of breast cancer in women in the UK, and 341 in men1. Estimated risk at birth up to and including:UK (2008)age 291 in 2,000age 391 in 215age 491 in 50age 591…

The NHS Breast Screening Programme aims to detect breast cancers as early as possible. The Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer Screening has discussed the issue of benign disease in depth, and has concluded that there is no benefit in investigating clearly benign lesions. The disadvantage far outweighs…

Being breast aware Breast awareness is about encouraging women to become more aware of their bodies generally and to get to know their own breasts. This is an important issue for all women in their mid-twenties and onwards, as learning how their breasts look and…

Digital Mammography Whereas conventional mammography captures images of breast tissue on x-ray film, digital mammography uses computer imaging. This is being implemented across the NHS Breast Screening Programme and as at July 2011, 85 per cent of breast screening units have at least one digital…

One in every thousand women who attend for breast screening is diagnosed with DCIS. This is when the breast cancer cells are completely contained within the breast ducts and have not spread into the surrounding breast tissue. DCIS may also be referred to as non-invasive…