Breast screening helps find cancer at an early stage when you are well and have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer.
If breast cancer is found early, it’s easier to treat and there’s a better chance of recovery.
Who is eligible for breast screening
BreastCheck is the name of the national breast screening programme.
We offer free breast screening to women and anyone with female breast tissue:
- age 50 to 69
- living in Ireland
- with a PPS number
What breast screening involves
Breast screening involves having a mammogram of your breasts. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to find breast cancer when it's too small to see or feel.
Breast screening takes place at a BreastCheck clinic or a mobile screening unit.
You'll get a letter with your results within 3 weeks of your mammogram. Your GP will also get your results.
In most cases, results are normal and no cancer is found.
Breast screening does not find all breast cancer. But screening lowers your chance of breast cancer being diagnosed at a later stage.
When you will be offered a breast screen
If you're on the breast screening register, and we have your correct address we will write to you from age 50.
This is to invite you to a breast screening appointment.
We aim to send you an appointment letter:
- for your first screening test by age 52 - in some cases 53
- every 2 to 3 years after that, up to the age of 69
You can join, check or update the breast screening register from age 48.
How you can make sure your correct details are on the breast screening register.
Check for symptoms of breast cancer
Screening does not find all cancers. Cancer can happen at any time, including between your screening appointments.
It is important to be aware of breast cancer symptoms and check your breasts regularly for any changes. Do this even if you went to your screening appointments.
Your risk of breast cancer increases as you get older.
Urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you're worried about the symptoms of breast cancer.
Do this even if you had a recent mammogram - do not wait for your next screening appointment.
Screening is only for if you feel healthy or have no symptoms.
Translated guides to breast screening
You can download guides to BreastScreen in Irish, English, Ukranian and Russian:
- English: Important information about your breast screening (PDF, 1.07 MB, 16 pages)
- Irish: Faisnéis thábhachtach faoi do scagadh cíche (PDF, 1.10 MB, 16 pages)
- Ukranian: Важлива інформація про скринінг раку молочної залози (PDF, 1 MB, 16 pages)
- Russian: Важная информация о скрининге рака молочной железы (PDF, 1 MB, 16 pages)
BreastCheck screening information video
Watch this video to find out about breast screening in Ireland.
Translated videos
Our BreastCheck screening video is available in 25 languages.
BreastCheck screening translated videos
- Irish: Faisnéis faoi scagthástáil cíoch in Éirinn (video)
- Albanian: Informacion mbi ekzaminimin e gjirit në Irlandë (video)
- Arabic: معلومات عن فحص الثدي في أيرلندا - (video)
- Bengali: আয়ারল্যান্ডে স্তন স্ক্রিনিং বিষয়ে তথ্য (video)
- Bulgarian: Информация за скрийнинг на гърдите в Ирландия (video)
- Croatian: Informacije o pregledu dojki u Irskoj (video)
- Dutch: Informatie over borstkankerscreening in Ierland (video)
- Filipino: Impormasyon sa screening ng suso sa Ireland (video)
- French: Informations sur le dépistage du cancer du sein en Irlande (video)
- Hindi: आयरलैंड में स्तन जांच (ब्रेस्ट स्क्रीनिंग) की जानकारी (video)
- Hungarian: Tájékoztatás a mellrák szűrőprogramról Írországban (video)
- Latvian: Informācija par krūts vēža skrīningu Īrijā (video)
- Lithuania: Informacija apie Airijoje atliekamus moterų krūtų tyrimus (video)
- Pashto: په ایرلنډ کې د سینې د معاینې په اړه معلومات (video)
- Portuguese: Informações sobre exames de mama na Irlanda (video)
- Romanian: Informații referitoare la screeningul mamar (video)
- Russian: Информация о скрининге рака молочной железы в Ирландии (video)
- Slovak: Informácie o preventívnych vyšetreniach prsníkov v Írsku (video)
- Somali: Warbixin ku saabsan baadhista naasaha ee Ireland (video)
- Spanish: Información sobre el programa de detección temprana del cáncer de mama en Irlanda (video)
- Swahili: Taarifa kuhusu uchunguzi wa matiti nchini Ayalandi (video)
- Ukranian: Інформація про скрінінг грудей в Ірландії (video)
- Urdu: آئرلینڈ میں چھاتی کے معائنے کی معلومات (video)
- Yoruba: Àlàyé lórí àyẹ̀wò ọmú ní orílẹ-èdè Ireland (video)