The Information Services Division Scotland recently published the updated breast screening statistics for 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. This is the first update since the new digital mammography Scottish Breast Screening System was implemented.
Key findings from the report are as follows:
- For 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, routine breast screen appointment was attended by 514,083 women aged 50-70 years. The invitation for screening was accepted by 71.2 per cent of women.
- For 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, the minimum acceptable uptake standard of 70 per cent was not met by four NHS Boards in Scotland, i.e. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (65.8%), NHS Lanarkshire (68.0%), NHS Lothian (69.2%) and NHS Fife (69.7%).
- There has been a consistent decline in the uptake rate since 2008-2009 to 2010-2011 when it was 74.9 per cent.
- Women from the most deprived areas have a lower likelihood of attending breast screening than those from the least deprived areas, with a difference of >20 percentage points between them.
- Invasive breast cancer is being detected more frequently when the tumour is <15 mm, thus leading to a better prognosis. The detection rate in recent years is higher than ever before.
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