What breast screening is and who it is for

Breast screening helps find cancer at an early stage before you notice signs or symptoms.

Finding cancer early often means it’s easier to treat.

You can have a free breast screening mammogram through the national breast screening programme - BreastCheck.

A mammogram is when a specialist called a mammographer x-rays your breasts.

Getting a mammogram appointment

Who can have breast screening

Breast screening is for women and anyone age 50 to 69 with breasts or female breast tissue. This includes some transgender, non-binary and intersex people.

Transgender, non-binary or intersex

You can have a free breast screening mammogram if you are transgender, non-binary or intersex and you:

• were registered female at birth and have breasts or breast tissue
• were registered male at birth and have been taking feminising hormones for more than 5 years
• developed breast tissue for other reasons

What to do if you had breast cancer

If we send you an appointment contact the BreastCheck unit and tell them you have had breast cancer.

Your breast care team may have arranged follow-up care, x-rays or scans. You may not need a breast screening mammogram through BreastCheck.

What to do if you have symptoms

Do not go for a breast screening mammogram through BreastCheck if you have symptoms of cervical cancer.

Steps involved

Find out the steps involved in going for breast screening and getting your results.

Choosing to have breast screening

To help you choose if you want to have breast screening, you can read about what breast screening can and cannot do.

Find more ways to reduce your risk of getting cancer.

Using the breast screening register

We put together a register (list) of people who can have breast screening.

From age 50, you can check if you're on the breast screening register (list).

If you're not on the register, join it and make sure we have your up-to-date contact information.

Tell us if your contact information changes.

Breast screening register

Your mammogram appointment

Between age 50 and 52, we send you an appointment. This will tell you the date, time and location of your first free breast screening mammogram. If your results are normal you will get your next appointment about 2 years later.

If you need to you can change your appointment.

You go to a BreastCheck unit for your appointment. At the appointment a mammographer x-rays your breasts.

You will need to sign a consent form at the appointment. You can read the consent information before your appointment.

Getting, changing and going to your mammogram appointment

Getting your results

2 radiologists check the x-ray image for cancers that are too small to see or feel.

3 weeks later we will send the results to you and tell you if you need more tests.

Results and next steps

Knowing signs and symptoms

Most results are normal but you still need to check your breasts for signs and symptoms of cancer - anyone can get cancer at any time, even after screening.

How to check your breasts

Translated videos

Our BreastCheck screening video is available in 25 languages.