Diagnostic imaging platform Scan.com has announced the launch of private mammogram screening scans, available annually starting from age 40. As we begin Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the healthtech aims to address a critical gap in proactive breast cancer screening recommendations in the UK. This is ten years earlier than the NHS screening programme, which is offered every three years starting from age 50-53.
While the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recently advocated for biennial mammograms starting at age 40, the UK currently begins NHS mammogram screenings at age 50. This discrepancy in screening guidelines underscores a missed opportunity for early detection, as the USPSTF estimates that 19% more lives could be saved through initiating screening mammograms from age 40, with one year of life gained for every 20 women in their 40s who undergo annual screening.
Scan.com aims to offer fast and accessible screening options for women who currently fall outside of the NHS screening programme. Breast cancer, which is more common in women over 50, is generally more aggressive in younger women, which is why early detection is beneficial.
Dr Lizzie Tuckey, Managing Director of Scan.com, said:
“By offering annual mammograms from age 40, we aim to empower women with proactive choices in their healthcare, potentially contributing to better health outcomes. We want to follow the science, and make early detection more accessible to as many women as we can.”
