Women are urged not to cancel breast cancer checks

THE GOVERNMENT'S breast screening czar today called on women not to abandon appointments amid doubts over checks.

Professor Julietta Patnick, head of the NHS breast screening programme, spoke out in response to a British Medical Journal study warning that women face unnecessary surgery and chemotherapy.

In an interview with the Standard, Professor Patnick questioned the study's main finding that 10 healthy women among 2000 will be incorrectly treated. The cancer expert said: "Women should not ignore their appointments. It is obviously their personal choice to attend. But the breast screening programme saves hundreds of lives a year.'

National cancer director, Professor Mike Richards, added: "I want to reassure women that breast screening is safe and can lead to cancer being diagnosed and treated much earlier, which ultimately saves lives."

Cancer groups fear the row over screening will lead to more deaths by putting women off attending.

More than 45,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and about 12,300 die.