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In Jersey 5 to 20 women die every year from breast cancer: An Informational details
– Reported, January 25, 2012
Did you know that in Jersey 5 to 20 women die every year from breast cancer. Regular breast screening can detect cancer early. Book your appointment today.
What is breast screening?
Breast screening uses x-rays, known as mammograms, to look for breast cancers when they are too small to be seen or felt.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and it is more likely as you get older. In Jersey, 5 to 20 women die every year from breast cancer; however, breast screening reduces deaths from this disease.
Who is offered breast screening and how often?
We currently offer breast screening to all women aged between 50 and 69. Once you reach 50, you should contact the breast screening service on 443790 to request your first appointment. Youll then be invited for screening every 2 years.
If youre over 70 you can continue to have screening every 2 years if you wish until you reach age 75. Please telephone the breast screening service to make an appointment. If you’re aged over 75, you should talk to your GP first. They can refer you for mammography if they think it is appropriate.
Whether or not you go for breast screening, you should speak to your GP straightaway if you are worried about a breast problem.
What are the benefits of breast screening?
Regular screening prevents deaths from breast cancer. It can find cancer early, before you know its there. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better your chance of surviving it. If a breast cancer is found early, you are less likely to have a mastectomy (your breast removed) or chemotherapy.
Does breast screening find every cancer?
No. Some cancers dont show up on a mammogram and sometimes a cancer isnt spotted. This can happen no matter how skilled the people reading the mammograms are.
Does screening prevent breast cancer?
No. Screening only finds cancer if it is already there, but it can find cancers at an early stage.
What are the downsides of being screened?
Having a mammogram means your breasts are exposed to a small amount of radiation. Other issues are:
sometimes a mammogram will look normal, even if a cancer is there. This is called a false negative result. You should remain breast aware
sometimes a mammogram will not look normal and you will be recalled for more tests, but cancer is not there
screening can find cancers which are treated but which may not otherwise have been found during your lifetime
About your appointment
What should I do if I cannot attend my appointment?
Please contact us in advance if you cannot attend your appointment. We can then offer the appointment to someone else and reduce our waiting times, please phone 443790.
Where do I go for breast screening?
Breast screening takes place at the mammography unit, which is in the Le Quesne Unit of the General Hospital. Your appointment letter will tell you where to go. If you need help (for example, if you are a wheelchair user) or your appointment isnt convenient, please phone 443790.
What happens during breast screening?
Breast screening is carried out by female staff only. You will only be asked to undress from the waist up. Please dont use creams, deodorants or talcum powder when you go for a screening. Residue left on the skin can affect the x-ray image.
The woman that takes your mammograms will ask you a few questions and will explain what will happen. She will place one breast at a time between 2 special plates on the mammogram machine and take 2 pictures of each breast. Your breast needs to be pressed firmly between the plates for a few seconds so that clear mammograms can be taken. A mammogram takes a few minutes. Your breast screening visit should take about half an hour altogether.
Does having a mammogram hurt?
Some women find having a mammogram uncomfortable. Very few women find the discomfort lasts longer than a few seconds.
Will I get an appointment reminder?
We recommend you keep your breast screening appointment letter somewhere safe as it has details about your mammogram and a short health questionnaire which you need to complete and bring to your appointment.
If the breast screening administration team have your mobile number you will get a text message a few days before your appointment to remind you of the date.
I have difficulty walking. Is transport provided?
You may be considered eligible for patient transport if you are medically unfit to travel without help and have no alternative way of travelling to / from hospital. It is important to contact the breast screening service at least a week before your appointment so arrangements can be made. Please telephone 443747.
Is there a language interpreter available?
A hospital language interpreter can be provided if you are unable to understand or speak English and do not have someone to bring who can help you. We have interpreters for Portuguese, Polish, French and other commonly spoken languages in Jersey. We are also able to provide interpreters for languages less often spoken in Jersey via a specialist interpreter telephone service. There is no charge for interpreter services but it is important to contact the breast screening service at least a week before your appointment so arrangements. Please telephone 443747.
Results
When do I get the results?
Your results letter will be sent to your home address within 10-12 working days. Your GP will also be told your results.
What mammogram results might I get?
Most women get a normal screening result (their mammogram shows no sign of cancer). However, this doesnt mean you cant get breast cancer, so you should still be breast aware.
Around 1 in 20 women are called back because their mammogram shows that more tests are needed. This happens more often for women having their first mammogram. This is normally because we do not have other mammograms to compare with. Something that looks unusual on your first mammogram may be completely normal for you.
We may do further tests, including more mammograms, an ultrasound scan or a needle biopsy. A needle biopsy is when we take a small sample of tissue (we may use a local anaesthetic to do this). We do these tests to show whether or not you have breast cancer.
What if I am told I have breast cancer?
You will be cared for by a specialist breast cancer team. They will talk to you about your diagnosis, the support you can get and your treatment options. Most, but not all, cancers found at breast screening can be successfully treated.
Be breast aware
You can develop breast cancer at any time. This includes the time in between breast screening appointments. Being breast aware is about getting to know your own body so you can spot any breast changes early. The most important things you need to know about breast awareness is what is normal for you and to tell your GP about any changes as soon as you spot them.
Changes in your breasts may be harmless, but you should get them checked straightaway. Things you need to look out for are:
any lumps, thickening or bumpy areas
changes in appearance, like puckered or dimpled skin
discomfort or pain
nipple discharge, a rash, red areas that wont heal, or a change in your nipple position (pointing differently or pulled in).
If you notice any changes in your breasts that are not normal for you, please speak to your GP straightaway.
Are there any alternatives to breast screening?
Breast screening is not universally accepted, even in the medical profession. Mammography does use radiation; however, the level is very low. In Jersey it is less than 2mGy (as recommended in quality assurance guidelines). The risk of causing breast cancer is approximately 1,000 times lower than the overall risk of developing a breast cancer for women over the age of 50.
Jersey results show that screening detects cancers which are on average 50% smaller than those found in breast clinic patients who had not been screened.
If you don’t think screening is appropriate for you, breast awareness is the recommended alternative.
What are the results of the Jersey programme?
We run strict quality control checks and submit our results to the Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey. Our programme is also overseen by the chairman of the NHS Breast Screening Programme Quality Assurance Committee. We have consistently achieved the cancer detection targets set by this committee.
The Jersey Breast Screening Programme is also measured against the standards for the NHS Breast Screening Programme each year.
Credits and more information at:
http://www.gov.je/Health/WomenHealth/Pages/BreastScreening.aspx