Cancer Screening

Learn about our cancer screening programmes

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. About 46,000 women get breast cancer in the UK each year. Most of them (8 out of 10) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases men, can also get breast cancer. 

The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites over 2 million women for screening every year,and detects over 14,000 cancers. Dr Emma Pennery of Breast Cancer Care says: “Breast X-rays, called mammograms, can detect tumours at a very early stage, before you’d feel a lump. The earlier it’s treated, the higher the survival rate.” 

Find out more about breast cancer screening  

Macmillan Cancer Research 
The causes and symptoms of breast cancer in women and explains how it is diagnosed and treated 

NHS 
Symtpoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention & screening information 

Cervical screening is a method of preventing cervical cancer by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix (lower part of the womb). Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but it is a test to check the health of the cervix. 

Most women’s test results show that everything is normal. But for one in 20 women, the test will show some changes in the cells of the cervix. Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells will go back to normal on their own. In some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming a problem later. 

NHS – Cervical Screening 
The why, when & how guide to cervical screening 

NHS Inform (Scottish Patients) 
Cervical Screening information, risks, benefits and tests for patients based in Scotland 

Cervical Screening 
This factsheet is for women who would like information about having a cervical smear test for screening. This means having the test when you don’t have any symptoms. 

Testicular cancer, though the most common cancer in young men, it is still quite rare. With 2000 new cases being diagnosed each year, this makes it the biggest cause of cancer related death in 15 – 35-year-old males. It accounts for around 70 deaths a year within the UK alone. 

What to Look Out For 

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is swelling or a pea-sized lump in one of the testes (balls). There is no current screening test therefore it is important that you look out for the following signs and symptoms. 

  • A dull ache, or sharp pain, in your testicles, or scrotum, which may come and go 
  • A feeling of heaviness in your scrotum 
  • A dull ache in your lower abdomen 
  • A sudden collection of fluid in your scrotum 
  • Fatigue, and generally feeling unwell. 

Resources 

NHS – Information on Testicular Cancer 

BUPA – Testicular Cancer 

Each year about 36,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer, making it the most common cancer in men. It mainly affects men aged over 50 

Symptoms 

  • difficulty in starting to pass urine 
  • a weak, sometimes intermittent flow of urine 
  • dribbling of urine before and after urinating 
  • a frequent or urgent need to pass urine 
  • rarely, blood in your urine or semen and pain when passing urine 

These symptoms aren’t always caused by prostate cancer but if you have them, see your GP. 

Find out more about the symptoms, causes and diagnosis of prostate cancer by using the resources below. 

Resources 

BUPA – Prostate Cancer 

NHS – Prostate Cancer