Women across West Midlands ignoring breast cancer screening

Thousands of women across the Black Country and Staffordshire are putting their lives at risk by failing to attend vital cancer screening tests.

Around 130,000 women across the region have ignored breast cancer screening invitations between 2007 and 2009, according to figures obtained by the Express & Star.

All women aged over 50 are offered a free screening once in a three year cycle in a bid to identify cancer early which can make the disease easier to treat and increase survival rates.

But many women are ignoring the offers, sparking fears some cancers could go undetected until the disease has developed to a much more serious level.

Now health bosses from across the region have urged all women to take up the screening offers.

Dr Adrian Phillips, director of public health for Wolverhampton PCT, said: "Breast screening is safe, simple and saves lives.

"I urge all women who have chosen not to attend breast screening to make an appointment as soon as possible.

"If any woman is worried about what screening entails she should talk to friends who have undergone screening or discuss her concerns with her GP."

For the last three year cycle Sandwell was the worst area in the region for screening with a total of 28,193 women ignoring invites representing 32 per cent of the eligible women.

In Walsall 21,420 women did not get screened, or 28 per cent while in Wolverhampton 18,999 women in the city ignored screening invites, 27 per cent of those eligible to be screened.

In Dudley 22,509 women failed to get screened representing 23 per cent of those eligible.

In South Staffordshire 39,544 women put their lives on the line by not being screened, 19 per cent of the population.

Dr Joanna Owens, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "The breast screening programme in this country saves over 1,000 lives each year. It can find the disease at an early stage, when it may be too small to see or feel."