Humberside breast screening service back running at pre-pandemic levels
They're encouraging all women to regularly check their own breasts
The Humberside breast screening service say they are back running at pre-pandemic numbers.
But, because these screenings are usually just for over 50s, they are encouraging all women to regularly check their own breasts.
Philippa Robinson is the Macmillan clinical nurse specialist in breast cancer there and said:
"We have a system called 'two week wait for all'. So any breast symptom that the GP can't confidently say 'no, it's nothing' then they have to refer you up to the hospital and that appointment should be with you within two weeks.
"It's knowing what's normal for you and then reporting anything unsual, anything worrying to the GP. So lumps in the breast or in the armpits or even at the base of your neck above your collarbone, they would be signs and we would want you to report those too.
"Breast cancer is not just about looking for lumps, although that is again really important, but it's good to know what your breasts are like normally so you can identify any changes quite quickly."
Philippa explains why screenings are not offered from a younger age:
"Their breast tissue is much denser and it would make it much more difficult to identify areas of concern on a mammogram in a younger woman. We do use them on occasion but it wouldn't be our first line screening tool."