Breast screening FAQs - General questions

X-rays can cause cancer, but the risk of having a breast x-ray is very low.  For more information visit our mammography and radiation risk page.

If you are worried about breast cancer running in your family speak to your doctor.

Screening can only find cancer if it is already there. You can get breast cancer at any time.  It is important to speak to your doctor if you see of feel a change in your breast, even if you have recently been for breast screening. For more information visit our ‘Signs and symptoms’ page.

Breast screening is for women who do not have breast symptoms. Whatever your age, if you are worried about a change in your breast you should speak to your doctor without delay. For more information visit our ‘Signs and symptoms’ page.

This will depend on your reconstructive surgery and how much breast tissue you have. Contact us to discuss it with us.

Breast Test Wales does not offer thermography. Thermal imaging has not been proved to be an effective screening tool for finding early breast cancer. Thermal imaging detects only a quarter of the breast cancers found by breast x-rays.

Some women aged 47-49 and 71-73 living in England will have been invited for breast screening as part of a trial. Around half the women in these age ranges in England will be invited and the rest will not be, so that their experience can be compared.

The purpose of this trial is to see whether there is a benefit to women having additional breast screening. The results will not be available for several years, and there is currently no evidence to support that there is a benefit.

Breast Test Wales and Welsh Government are carefully watching the trial in England, and waiting to see the results before considering if any changes need to be made.

If you, or a person you support needs extra help going for screening, contact us before your appointment if you:

• Need an interpreter, because Welsh or English is not your first language.
• Have a disability, so we can make sure we offer you an accessible appointment.
• Use an assistance dog.
• Need a carer to come with you.
• Are caring for someone who cannot make decisions.
• Have Power of Attorney for health and welfare for the person invited. You would need to bring ID and the Power of Attorney document to their appointment.
• If you need to bring someone with you to your appointment let us know. It may be better for you to have your appointment at a breast screening centre.