Bath’s Member of Parliament, Wera Hobhouse, is urging the government to urgently reform breast cancer screening protocols in the forthcoming NHS 10-year plan. She warns that without action, the current system will continue to fail women, resulting in unnecessary loss of life.
Hobhouse argues that the breast cancer screening programme needs modernization to enable earlier detection. This includes lowering the age at which routine screenings begin and incorporating more advanced scanning technologies. Her appeal comes ahead of the health strategy announcement on July 3, which is expected to set the direction for the NHS’s future reforms.
Currently, the NHS Breast Screening Programme invites women aged 50 and older for routine checks. Hobhouse has championed changes to include younger women, a cause she has passionately pursued following her meeting with Lucy, a local woman diagnosed with breast cancer at 38. Tragically, Lucy later developed incurable secondary cancer at 41 after her early symptoms were initially dismissed despite a family history of the disease. She believes earlier screening would have made a significant difference.
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Statistics reveal that since 2013, breast cancer cases in women under 50 have exceeded 10,000 annually. Yet routine screening for this group remains unavailable. Hobhouse has highlighted Lucy’s case in Parliament and supports a Cambridge University-led study recommending the addition of ultrasound scans alongside mammography for women with dense breast tissue. This approach could detect approximately 3,500 additional cancers yearly and potentially save 700 lives.
Mammograms are less effective for women with dense breast tissue, who face a higher risk of breast cancer. For these women, combining mammography with ultrasound is crucial for early detection.
Wera Hobhouse emphasized: “Every ten minutes, a woman in the UK receives a breast cancer diagnosis. The NHS 10-year plan must prioritize rebuilding local health services in Bath with a focus on early diagnosis and treatment. By lowering the screening age and adopting alternative screening methods beyond mammograms, we can significantly improve detection rates and save lives.
“After years of neglect under the Conservative government, we cannot afford to wait any longer. Action on early cancer diagnosis is desperately needed, and ministers must not ignore this urgent call. I will continue to hold the government accountable until meaningful progress is made for people like Lucy.”