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Breast screening
27/07/2010
Statistics on the Scottish breast screening programme were published today by ISD Scotland.
Minister for Public Health and Sport Shona Robison said:
"More and more people are living with and beating cancer, and the Scottish Breast Screening Programme is one of the principal reasons why.
"In 2003 we raised the upper age range for breast screening from 64 to 70. As a result we are now screening more women and detecting more cancers than ever before. This early intervention means the NHS can take action against more cancers earlier, saving more lives - and women who are over 70 can continue to refer themselves for screening.
"Screening in Scotland has continued to exceed its cancer detection targets, helping contribute to a 23 per cent fall in breast cancer mortality between 1994 and 2005. The programme has also introduced "two-view" screening - where women have two mammographic views of their breast taken - and from March 2010 this is now used in all health boards across the country."