Thought of the day:


I saw my friend Diana yesterday and her catchphrase at the moment is: 

"Caught by the Caravan".


She recently went to have her routine mammogram (in Paignton this is at a portable building parked at the local sports centre) and a deep big lump was found which the staff said would never have been found by routine breast examination.  

It was immediately investigated and she is being operated on very soon.  She says that if she hadn't gone for her mammogram she wouldn't have had a chance, so please tell everyone to go when invited for breast screening, you never know if it could save your life!


Further info:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/mammograms

Who has screening

The NHS Breast Screening Programme uses breast X-rays (mammograms) to screen all women aged between 50 and 70 who are registered with a GP. They are sent an invitation to go for screening every 3 years. The screening programme is currently extending the age range to include women aged from 47 to 73. Women older than the invitation age range can still have screening every three years, by making their own appointment at their local breast screening unit.

We are sometimes asked why women within the lower end of the age range haven’t had an invitation letter. This is because each local screening unit works through their area over 3 years on a rolling basis inviting women from each GP practice. So by the time 3 years has gone round, they will have covered the whole area and will then start at the beginning again. 

Everyone has at least one invitation before their 53rd birthday. In areas where the age range has been extended from 47 to 73 you will have an invitation before your 50th birthday. If you feel that you may have missed an invitation for any reason it is best to contact your GP and ask them to tell your local screening service.

Also see: 

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/type/breast-cancer/about/screening/who-is-screened-for-breast-cancer

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-breast-female/Pages/Screeningbreastcancer(female).aspx