Ahead of October’s breast cancer awareness month, NHS Suffolk is encouraging women not to ignore their invitation for breast screening.

Hossein Khaled, NHS Suffolk Public Health Screening Lead said: “It is vital that women in Suffolk, when sent an invitation for breast screening do attend the appointment. Screening helps identify disease at an early stage – this increases the likelihood of better outcomes should disease be identified”.

Breast screening is also known as a mammogram and is an X-ray of the breast. In Suffolk breast screening would take place usually at a mobile unit or at Ipswich Hospital or West Suffolk Hospital. Breast screening will always be carried out by a woman.

Having your breasts screened can pick up any changes at an early stage. An early diagnosis could improve your chances of being successfully treated. For the majority of women screening will show that they do not have breast cancer.

You can find out more about breast screening by visiting www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is organised by the charity Breast Cancer Care – www.breastcancercare.org.uk

For more information about NHS Suffolk visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk