You can still develop breast cancer between screening mammograms (an x-ray of the breast used to find breast cancer). This is called interval cancer.
Interval cancers are unavoidable. They happen in every screening programme in the world.
For every 1,000 people in Ireland who have had a BreastCheck mammogram:
- 2 will develop breast cancer before their next screening mammogram
- 998 will not develop breast cancer before their next screening mammogram
Urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you have symptoms of breast cancer
Do this even if you have had a recent normal breast screening result. Do not wait till your next screening.
Types of interval cancers
An interval cancer can be a cancer that either:
- developed between your screenings
- was there at your last screen but was not found - this type is rare
If you get breast cancer between screening mammograms
If you get breast cancer within 2 years of a screening mammogram you can ask for a review of your last BreastCheck mammogram.
A review may help if you are looking for ways to understand how your cancer developed.
You will find information about how to request a review in the leaflets we send you when we:
- invite you for screening
- send you your screening result
We are updating these leaflets to include information on screening reviews.
How to request a review
Contact us by email or post to ask for a review.
Email: review.request@screeningservice.ie
National Screening Service,
King’s Inns House,
200 Parnell St,
Freepost FDN7612,
Dublin 1,
DO1 A3Y8
What to expect
After you ask for a review we will get in touch with you to let you know if you are eligible.
We aim to complete your review within 3 to 6 months.
Before your review starts
If you are eligible for a review we will:
- ask you to confirm your identity - to make sure we protect the privacy of people who use our services
- give you the contact details of the person who will be your point of contact during your review - you can contact them at any stage during the review
Medical records
We may need to access your medical records to do the review. Hospitals hold your medical records. These are different to your National Screening Service records. We ask for your consent to access them.
If your medical records show a reason why we cannot do a review, we will tell you why.
How we use your personal information
Your review
2 consultant radiologists (breast x-ray specialists) who were not involved in your breast screening will do the review.
They will look at your BreastCheck mammogram. They will assess if the screening was satisfactory or not.
Your review results
We will contact you about the results of your review and send you a copy of your review report.