After the NHS announced the launch of their first ever breast cancer screening campaign, tens of thousands of women have been accessing vital advice on attending mammograms
During the week of 17th to 24th February, over 32,000 visits were recorded on NHS breast screening advice pages, showing a 145% increase in just one week.
NHS’s first-ever breast cancer screening
The campaign was launched to encourage women to take up breast cancer screening invitations and is designed to show the importance of early detection through regular mammograms. Research has shown that nearly half of those invited for their first screening do not respond, prompting the NHS to ramp up its efforts to raise awareness.
The campaign’s impact has been impressive already. There was a 97% increase in clicks to the NHS breast screening services finder, allowing women aged 50 to 71 to locate screening centres in their local area easily.
Google Trends data also revealed that searches for “Breast screening” in England reached their highest level in the past five years.
Encouraging women to go or breast cancer screenings
The NHS’s initiative features well-known public figures, including Newsnight anchor Victoria Derbyshire, broadcaster Julia Bradbury, and Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, who shared personal letters about their experiences with screening.
Their stories, along with those of other breast cancer survivors and NHS staff, are featured in a series of films aiming to reassure women about the screening process and encourage them to use the service.
The NHS’s screening program offers women automatic invitations for their first mammogram between 50 and 53, with screenings continuing every three years until their 71st birthday.
Women over the age of 71 can self-refer for screening. The campaign aims to increase the uptake of screenings, as it is estimated that if 80% of eligible women attended their screening next year, nearly one million more women could be screened, potentially detecting over 7,500 additional breast cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.
Early detection of breast cancer
The NHS encourages women to not only attend their screening appointments but also to continue checking their breasts regularly for any unusual changes and to consult their GP if anything concerning arises between screenings.
The NHS believes the benefits of regular mammograms outweigh any potential risks. The main aim of the campaign is to raise awareness about the life-saving benefits of early detection, which can significantly improve treatment outcomes for those diagnosed with breast cancer.
The NHS reported that Michelle Kane, Director of Screening and Vaccination at NHS England, expressed her delight at the positive response to the campaign, saying that the early success of the initiative shows great promise for increasing the number of women taking part in life-saving screening programs in the future.
The importance of breast cancer screenings
This NHS breast cancer screening campaign is particularly important in the fight against breast cancer.
Some of the main benefits of breast cancer screenings include.
- Early detection: Screening helps identify breast cancer in its early stages, often before symptoms appear. The earlier the cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat and the higher the likelihood of a positive outcome.
- Improved treatment outcomes: Early-stage breast cancer is generally more treatable with less aggressive methods, such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy. Catching it early can sometimes lead to less invasive treatments and better recovery chances.
- Reduced mortality: Regular screenings, like mammograms, have been shown to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer, particularly in women over the age of 40.
- Detection of non-palpable tumors: Some breast cancers don’t form visible lumps and can’t be felt during a physical exam. Mammograms and other screening methods can detect these “invisible” tumors, allowing for earlier intervention.
Breast cancer screenings play a critical role in saving lives, enabling early intervention, and offering a better quality of life for those diagnosed with breast cancer, which is why the NHS needs to encourage women to get screenings and the success of this campaign is a step in the right direction.
