Who has breast screening?
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites all women from the age of 50 to 70 registered with a GP for screening every 3 years. This means that some people may not have their first screening mammogram until they are 52 or 53 years.
If you are older than 70
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you can still have screening every 3 years but you won’t automatically be invited. To continue to have screening contact your GP or your local breast screening unit.
In Scotland you can continue to have breast screening after you are 71 years of age up until your 75th birthday, but you won’t automatically be invited, you have to contact your local breast screening service.
If you are younger than 50
Your risk of breast cancer is generally very low. Mammograms are more difficult to read in younger women because their breast tissue is denser. So the patterns on the mammogram don’t show up as well. There is little evidence to show that regular mammograms for women below the screening age would reduce deaths from breast cancer.
Breast screening for transgender or non-binary people
Breast screening is also for some trans or non-binary people. This includes:
- trans men and non-binary people assigned female at birth who have not had an operation to remove their breasts (bilateral mastectomy)
- trans women and non-binary people assigned male at birth who have taken feminising hormones
The screening invitations you automatically receive depend on how your sex is registered with your GP. Any hormones or surgeries you’ve had will impact which screenings are relevant for you.
If you haven’t had a breast screening invitation when you think you should, or you have any further questions, speak to your GP or gender identity clinic.
