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Breast Cancer: Diagnosis

Question for Department of Health and Social Care

UIN 15781, tabled on 25 November 2024

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including breast density in medical data collection, in the context of diagnosing breast cancer.

Answered on

29 November 2024

The UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing the evidence surrounding breast density in screening.

Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a priority for NHS England. To support early detection and diagnosis, the National Health Service carries out approximately 2.1 million breast cancer screens each year in hospitals and mobile screening vans, usually in convenient community locations.

Named day
Named day questions only occur in the House of Commons. The MP tabling the question specifies the date on which they should receive an answer. MPs may not table more than five named day questions on a single day.