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'We know early diagnosis through mammograms saves lives, so why stop at 70?'

Baroness Hodge is calling for routine mammograms to be extended to women over 70.

Labour peer Baroness Margaret Hodge was 80 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She'd requested a mammogram screening after realising she hadn鈥檛 been invited for one for the best part of a decade.

Routine screening, where you are automatically invited, is currently only available in the UK for women aged 50-70, so Baroness Hodge is now calling for routine mammograms to be extended to women over 70.

Speaking to Nuala McGovern in the Woman's Hour studio, Baroness Hodge explained why she thinks a change to the age limit for routine screening is needed.

You can listen to the full interview on 蜜芽传媒 Sounds - it's the Woman's Hour episode from 22 July.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 鈥淥ur sympathies go out to Margaret Hodge and all women affected by breast cancer.

鈥淲omen over 70 can still request a breast screening every 3 years by contacting their local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

鈥淲e are guided on the age-ranges for routine breast cancer screening by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which assesses the benefits of screening, weighed against any potential harms, and keeps its advice under review."

For more information and support related to breast cancer, head to the 蜜芽传媒 Action Line website.

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