Anxiety & embarrassment stop women going for breast screening

9th November 2011 - On a scale of fun things to do with your day a mammogram is unlikely to rate highly but for some women overwhelming fear, anxiety and embarrassment are preventing them from ever going for breast screening.

Researchers from the Gateshead Foundation Trust looked at why breast screening uptake varies in their area. They found that even in places of high deprivation - a known reason for low breast screening uptake - GP practices’ screening rates still differed by over 10%.

In denial

By speaking to women in focus groups the researchers found that fear, anxiety and embarrassment were the main reasons given for not attending breast screening. The other reason given was denial of the disease, a belief cancer would never happen to them.

Julie Tucker, lead author from the Gateshead Foundation Trust, said in a press release, we, "need to dispel some of the myths around breast cancer - it’s not a death sentence and more women are surviving this disease than ever before. 

This in turn will reduce women’s fear of the disease. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of survival so women shouldn’t be afraid of going to the doctor with symptoms or going for regular mammograms."

Hazel Nunn, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said via e-mail: "This study provides a useful insight into some of the challenges to the early diagnosis of breast cancer. It reminds us that more needs to be done to reduce the fear of the disease, to encourage women to be breast aware and go to their doctor if they notice any unusual changes to their body."

Symptoms

Further work by the researchers in Gateshead also showed women were not aware that the risk of breast cancer increases with age and most of those questioned could only name two symptoms of the disease.

Symptoms include a lump or thickening in an area of the breast; change in the size or shape of the breast; dimpling of the skin; a change in the shape of the nipple; blood stained discharge from the nipple; a rash on the nipple or surrounding area; swelling or lump in the armpit.

Julie Tucker said: "Our results show that more must be done to tackle the low uptake of screening and poor awareness of breast cancer symptoms. We must ensure that GPs, nurses and health professionals feel able to talk to women about the pros and cons of breast screening as well as what signs and symptoms they need to look out for."

Review

Women in the UK aged between 50 and 70 are invited for breast cancer screening every three years. Although the process saves lives it is not possible to say how many. According to Cancer Research UK, the figure is thought to be between 300 and 1,400 each year.

An independent review of the breast cancer screening programme has been called over claims that the NHS exaggerates its benefits and downplays the risks.

The review will be led by the national cancer director for England, Professor Mike Richards.

The findings of the Gateshead Foundation Trust are due to be presented today at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool.