The bigger picture

Around two million women a year are called to breast cancer screening in the UK as part of the NHS initiative. However, the number of women in the UK who have not had a screening has risen by an estimated 50 per cent due to the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, with one million women estimated to have missed screenings due to the services being paused throughout the pandemic, according to charity Breast Cancer Now.

Evidence suggests that screenings reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer by around 1,300 a year. According to Cancer Research UK, this is because it increases the chance of detecting cancers at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat and more likely to be cured. But there is a flipside to this. A Danish study published in 2017 highlighted the limitations of breast screening, stating that it could lead to treatment of tumours that may never have caused any issues while not preventing more dangerous and advanced cancers.

Clearly, balance is required as Breast Cancer Care’s clinical director Emma Pennery comments: “It’s estimated that for every life saved through screening, three women will have unnecessary, often difficult, treatment. However, despite its flaws, screening remains the most effective tool at our disposal for detecting breast cancer at the earliest possible stage. It is not yet possible to tell which cancers will cause harm during a woman’s lifetime and which will not, so continuing to offer treatment when something is found is crucial.”