Women urged to attend breast cancer screenings amid low uptake
Some GP services saw as low as 6% of women in vulnerable groups attend
Women across Humberside and Lincolnshire are being urged to attend their breast cancer screening amid a drop in attendance.
Humberside Breast Screening Service has asked those who may be in a vulnerable group to come forward as soon as possible to get checked.
Breast cancer is currently the second highest cause of cancer death in women, but if caught early, the odds of surviving five years and beyond rise to 98%.
However, figures from the service found that the number of women aged between 50 and 53 - a prime time for the development of the disease - attending their screening is as low as 6% in some areas.
On top of this, the service said that those from ethnic minorities are particularly affected, but are less likely to attend - including women from Black, South Asian and Eastern European communities.
Speaking on the initiative, Lesley Peacock from Humberside Breast Screening Service, said that by not attending, there may be many women who are left in the dark about their health.
“The women with poorer outcomes are those women who don’t come along for their screening appointment. Picking up problems at an early stage can mean the difference between life and death," she said.
“So, we’re hoping women unite to attend their own appointments and encourage their friends, their workmates and their family members to come along for screening.”
Women at a higher risk of breast cancer are often contacted shortly after their 50th birthday for their first screening; these will be repeated until they reach their 71st birthday.
Several screening vans are set to pop up around East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Northeast Lincolnshire, includign Hull, Scunthorpe, Bridlington and Grimsby.