Pandemic leads to huge drop in breast cancer screenings

There has been a 44.1% decrease in women aged 45 and over screened for breast cancer last year, new data revealed.

For women aged 50 to 70 years old, the number decreased by 39.1% – from 1.84 million in 2019/20 to 1.12 million in 2020/21.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme report provided information on the screening activity, number and uptake of invitations, as well as the outcome of screening and the rate of cancer detection.

Uptake of routine invitations for women aged 50 to 70 was 61.8% last year, down from 69.1% in 2019/20. The report also showed that uptake was highest in the East Midlands and South East regions at 65.0% and lowest in London at 54.1%.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme also found that the number of women aged 45 and over with cancers detected decreased by 39.2%.

There was, however, an increase in the rate of cancers detected, from 8.4 cases per 1,000 women screened in 2019/20 to 9.1 cases per 1,000 women screened in 2020/21.

This pattern remains consistent in the core cohort of women aged 50-70 years old. While the number of women screened fell, there was a slight increase in the rate of cancers per 1,000 women screened.

Under the NHS Breast Screening Programme, eligible women will usually receive their first routine invitation for breast cancer screening between the ages of 50 and 53 years old. From then on they will normally be invited every three years until they are 70 years old.

More funding for cancer sufferers struggling with rising bills

Macmillan Cancer Support has announced an extra £3.5 million in funding to its financial grants scheme as it deals with a rapid increase in people needing help with soaring bills.

The charity is predicting a further 16% increase in the number of people with cancer applying for a Macmillan grant in 2022.

People often face surging bills after a cancer diagnosis, for example, higher energy bills as people try to keep warm when going through treatment or the extra travel costs getting to and from appointments.

Ruth, 56, from Norfolk, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and underwent treatment during the pandemic, said: "I can't afford to have the heating on during the day and I have to keep busy in order to stay warm.

"I also wear my dressing gown over my clothes and have fingerless gloves and a hat. At times, I go to bed and get under the duvet to stop myself from getting cold. I feel like my body has been totally wiped out by chemo at times - it has aged me several years physically and mentally. The financial pressures on top just add another layer of stress and worry."

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• breast cancer
• breast screening
• NHS
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