Breast cancer checks rise but Lothians lag behind

Published on Tuesday 4 August 2009 11:03

THE number of women attending for breast screening has risen by ten per cent in the last two decades. But a three-year analysis of women taking up the offer of a check-up shows that the Lothians is still lagging behind other health boards in the country.

The lack of progress made will alarm health chiefs, who warn that early detection through screening is the most effective way of beating the illness.

Statistics released by ISD Scotland – the Scottish Government's official gatherer of health data – showed that up until the end of 2008, about 74 per cent of women were checked for the potentially deadly disease. Although that figure has gone up since the study began in 1991, it shows no improvement since 2004.

Only health boards in Glasgow and Lanarkshire had a worse uptake, keeping NHS Lothian below the national average of 76 per cent, but it did exceed the minimum standard of 70 per cent.

Women aged between 50 and 70 are invited to attend screening once every three years.