The NHS Breast Screening Programme continues to work closely with units across the region to deliver breast screening for all women aged over 50.

 

Increased screening resulted in 14,841 additional cancers being detected early in 2007 and new techniques such as digital imaging technology.

Breast cancer is a very common cancer and each year approximately 600 women in Nottinghamshire are newly diagnosed with the disease.

Breast cancer risk is strongly related to age, with more than 80% of cases occurring in women over 50 years old. The highest number of cases of breast cancer diagnosed is in the 50-64 age group, the age group targeted for screening.

 

Many of them are diagnosed as a result of the screening programme. Survival rates for breast cancer have increased, with 72% of women diagnosed with the disease now being likely to survive for 10 years. This is much improved on rates ten years ago when 64% of women would be expected to survive for 10 years, and on rates twenty years ago when the10 year survival was only 54%.

 

Breast screening across Nottinghamshire is covered by specialist screening units at King’s Mill hospital and Nottingham City hospital.