Minority groups in England less likely to receive routine breast screening

People from minority ethnic backgrounds in England are up to a third less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer through routine screening than other groups, according to the Guardian. The research revealed that individuals from marginalised groups are instead more likely to receive a diagnosis through an urgent referral or inside an emergency setting. [1]

The study was conducted by academics at the University of Surrey and received funding from the charity Breast Cancer Now, the Guardian reported. The researchers analysed data from 86,564 adults diagnosed with breast cancer between 2009 and 2019 using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. [1]

Breast cancer develops from breast tissue, with potential signs including breast lumps, changes in breast shape, skin dimpling, fluid from the nipple, or a newly inverted nipple. Medical screening aims to test asymptomatic women to detect the disease earlier, using methods such as mammography, ultrasounds, magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical examinations. [2][3]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, screening tools like mammograms can sometimes face limitations. In Ireland, women with dense breasts face a higher risk of undetected tumors because fibroglandular tissue can mask cancers during standard mammograms, although secondary options such as ultrasounds can assist in detecting hidden tumors. [6]