Women ‘should not be discouraged from breast cancer screening’

Women have been advised to not be discouraged from having breast cancer screening.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer issued its advice after recent concerns that the screening procedure may result in a number of false positives, with women subsequently receiving unnecessary treatment.

The charity notes that the Cochrane Library report that warned of overdiagnosis also stated that screening for breast cancer saves lives through early detection of the disease.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said that it is currently impossible to predict how early changes recorded by the screening process will progress, leading to the offering of treatment as a preventative measure.

“It’s important women are given clear information about their treatment options. Early detection saves lives,” he said

“Women over 50 should not be discouraged from taking up their screening appointments,” he added

The Cochrane Library report released earlier this week had warned that women who have been screened are 30 per cent more likely to be treated for cancer that would not have been a risk to their health if left unscreened.