Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“We know breast screening saves lives from breast cancer, and this study further reinforces its importance, finding that women who do not attend their first appointment are more likely to die from the disease if diagnosed.
“Despite breast screening being the most effective way to find breast cancer early, when survival is highest, thousands of women in the UK continue to miss out on this vital health check and those who miss their first appointment are much less likely to go in future.
“With a worryingly high number of women in the UK not attending their first breast screening appointment, we urgently need to ensure women are encouraged to get screened, and that screening is easily accessible to all invited.
“That’s why Governments across the UK must drive progress towards delivering the 80% uptake target. Maximizing the number of women attending breast screening will be a game changer in helping to ensure more breast cancers are diagnosed early and more lives are saved from this devastating disease.”
ENDS
Notes to editors