A new study is set to explore how breast screening could be made more comfortable, thanks to funding from Breast Cancer Now.
Breast screening can find a breast cancer at an early stage, before it can be seen or felt. The earlier it is found, the more likely it is to respond well to treatment.
While not always the case, some people find the screening procedure uncomfortable, or even painful, making the fear of pain a barrier to attend.
The charity has awarded £395,076 to Dr Judith Offman at Queen Mary University of London to investigate the experiences of women from different ethnic backgrounds, who have felt pain during breast screening. The study will also identify practical ways to make screening more comfortable and encourage more people to attend their screening appointments.
Breast screening uses a breast X-ray, called a mammogram, to detect cancers before symptoms develop. Screening prevents an estimated 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK.
All women aged 50 or over are automatically invited for breast screening every three years until their 71st birthday. Women aged 71 and over can request breast screening every three years, but they will not be automatically invited.
However, around three in 10 women in England don’t attend breast screening when invited (1), and previous research by Dr Offman found that pain is a major barrier to screening participation. This includes previous experience of pain and worry about pain in women who have not yet attended.(2)
There’s currently limited understanding of how people experience pain during screening, particularly among women from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
During the study, the researchers will interview women from different ethnic backgrounds living in North East London, an area where breast screening attendance is lower (3) and breast cancer survival rates are poorer than in other parts of England.(4)
The team will be working closely with a community advisory group made up of women from Somali/African and South Asian populations in North East London.
They will also review existing research and consult with breast screening staff to create a comprehensive questionnaire that accurately measures the level of pain people experience during mammograms.
Based on their findings, the team will design a training course for breast screening staff to help reduce pain and discomfort and improve the overall experience. This may include techniques to help people feel more relaxed and in control during the procedure.
If successful, Dr Offman plans to expand this research further to test whether the new training improves people’s experiences of breast screening.
Dr Judith Offman, from Queen Mary University of London, said:
“We know that breast screening can save lives. However, not everyone attends when invited, and uptake is lower in more deprived and ethnically diverse areas. We want to bring in the voices of women from different ethnic backgrounds to understand how they experience pain during mammograms and to find ways to make screening more comfortable for all women.”
Nasim Patel, Cancer Research Patient and Public Involvement representative, who is working with the research team, said:
“Through my work with women in the local community, I’ve seen how worries about pain or fear about the outcome can stop women from attending breast screening - especially among ethnic minority groups. In my role I spend a lot of time listening to women’s real experiences and feeding those insights back into research, so that studies genuinely reflect what matters to patients. Many women describe feeling anxious, embarrassed, or unsure about what will happen during screening, while others worry about the implications of a possible abnormal result. These emotions are completely understandable, but they can become real barriers to early detection.”
I’m passionate about addressing these health inequalities by creating spaces where women feel heard, raising awareness in culturally sensitive ways, and working with researchers and healthcare teams to find practical approaches that make screening more comfortable and accessible. The goal is to ensure every woman feels supported, informed, and confident to take part in this life-saving service.”
Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“Breast screening is vital to detect breast cancer early, when there are no visible signs of the disease and when treatment is most effective. But we know there are many reasons why women don’t take up their screening invite. This important research has the potential to improve women’s experience of screening, encouraging more people to attend and reducing inequalities in early diagnosis and survival.”
Breast Cancer Now is the leading research and support charity here for anyone affected by breast cancer. Call their free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000 to speak to their expert nurses, or find out more and donate at breastcancernow.org
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact the Breast Cancer Now press office at press@breastcancernow.org or call 07436 107914.
Notes to editors:
(1) Breast Screening Programme, England, 2023-24 - NHS England Digital