When will I get my invitation?
Women will be invited for their first mammogram sometime between their 50th and 53rd birthdays, depending on when their GP practice is being invited.
What if I can’t make the appointment offered to me?
You can telephone the Screening Office on 01752 431652, or email us at plh-tr.plymouthbreastscreening@nhs.net, to change or cancel your appointment.
What can I expect to happen at my appointment?
You will be greeted by a female mammographer who will ask for your name and take you into an interview room where she will ask you for more details, such as your date of birth and address. You will also be asked about any history of breast cancer you or your family have, and also if you have had a mammogram before.
You will then be asked to go into a changing room and undress from the waist up. It is advised that you wear a top and bottom outfit rather than a dress.
In the x-ray room the mammographer will take images of your breasts by compressing your breasts in the x-ray machine. Some women may find this uncomfortable, however each image will only take a few seconds and the whole exam will only take a few minutes.
At the bottom of this page you will find links to lots of breast screening information, including guidance to help you decide if you want to have breast screening.
Results
Women should expect to receive their results within 3 weeks of the appointment. Occasionally, a technical recall will occur, meaning some or all of the images taken were not clear enough to read, and you will be called back to have more images taken.
Most women will have a normal result. About 96 of 100 women screened will receive a letter to say the images taken showed no signs of a breast cancer.
Cancer can develop between mammograms so remember to still check your breasts regularly and see your GP if you notice any changes.
About 4 in every 100 women screened will have an abnormal result and will be called back to an assessment clinic for more tests. Out of these 4 women, 1 will be found to have a breast cancer.
What Happens at an Assessment Clinic?
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Often the radiographer will take additional x-ray images of the area in question
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Usually your breasts will be examined, by a trained clinician
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Usually, an ultrasound scan will be performed, by a trained clinician
After these tests, most women will turn out not to have any problem and will be reassured and put back into the three yearly screening programme.
What happens if an abnormality is found?
If the tests show an abnormality on the x-ray and/or ultrasound scan, this will be discussed with you. The consultant may advise a needle test, where samples of tissue (core biopsy) are taken after numbing the area with local anaesthetic. This will typically be done during this appointment, but occasionally you may be asked to come back for a core biopsy on another day. The results from a biopsy will not be available on the same day as they are sent to a laboratory for tests. We will make arrangements for you to be contacted about a results appointment, usually 1-2 weeks later.
How long will the appointment take?
Depending on what tests are needed, you may be in the breast unit between 2-4 hours. Because of the nature of the clinics, we cannot predict how long individual women will need for all their tests, and therefore you may not be seen exactly at your appointment time.
Please eat and drink as normal and take your usual medication before your appointment
What do I need to do on the day or bring with me?
Please bring a list of medications with you. It is particularly important to know if you take any blood-thinners (e.g., warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, rivaroxaban, or any other tablet ending in ‘-xaban’).
If you have any previous mammograms or breast imaging at home, either the physical pictures or on a CD, please bring them with you.
As we will be asking you to undress to the waist in order to examine your breast(s), you may find it easier to wear separates, (top and bottoms), rather than a dress.
Please don’t use any body creams or talc, as these can show up on mammograms.
Breast Screening Resources
Helping you decide if you want to have Breast Screening
An_easy_guide_to_breast_screening.pdf
Breast Screening for Women aged 71 or over
Breast Screening for High Risk Women
NHS screening programmes: information for Trans and Non-Binary People
Breast Implants and Breast Screening
