Breast cancer checks missing lots of at risk younger women, says study
Researchers warn that current NHS breast cancer screening guidelines for women under 50 are too narrow, missing up to 95% of high-risk cases. The study suggests that incorporating lifestyle factors and a new risk assessment tool could significantly improve early detection.
Why it matters
Improving screening criteria could lead to earlier diagnosis and better survival rates for younger women who are currently excluded from routine checks.
Image source, Getty Images By Michelle Roberts Digital health editor Published 4 August 2026, 02:08 BST NHS criteria for screening women under 50 for breast cancer are too narrow and missing up to 95% of those at higher risk of developing the disease, researchers have warned.
The current guidelines - set by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) - focus solely on inherited genes and not other factors such as lifestyle, they found.
Older women are offered routine mammogram scans to check their breasts, but under 50s do not get any breast screening unless they have a strong family history of the disease.
Using a new risk assessment tool, a study published in the British Journal of Cancer identified eight times as many women in this age group who developed breast cancer.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in