Breast Screening Enhancement Evaluation Report

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. The statistics highlight the widespread impact of the disease and the need to increase awareness so that everyone affected knows how we can support them and how they can help drive change. Eight out of ten cases are diagnosed in women aged 50 and over, with one-quarter in women aged 75 and over. Over 10,000 women under 50 are diagnosed each year, with about 7,600 in their 40s and 2,300 aged 39 or younger. Breast cancer in men is rare, with only 370 new cases annually, compared to around 55,000 in women. The number of women diagnosed is expected to increase by 13,000 each year, reaching 68,000 annually in the next decade. Almost 85% of women survive breast cancer for five years or more, and survival rates have doubled over the past 40 years due to better treatments, earlier detection, and faster diagnosis. Currently, about 600,000 people in the UK are living after a breast cancer diagnosis, and this number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. Despite these advancements, the emotional and physical effects of the disease can be long-lasting.