Will breast scan age be cut to 35?

THOUSANDS of women with a family history of breast cancer should have annual scans from the age of 35, researchers say.

At the moment women are eligible for a scan due to their family history from the age of 40.

But a study suggests an estimated 86,000 women in their late 30s would benefit from yearly screening.

The study of 2,900 women at 34 screening centres, found tumours in 50 women aged 35 to 39 who had breast cancer in their family.

Experts say the research, led by the University of Manchester and funded by the Breast Cancer Now charity, should be looked at by the Government’s review of cancer screening programmes, which is due to report this summer.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, of Breast Cancer Now, said: ‘This could be an enormous breakthrough. We believe these findings could be practice-changing.’

The findings are published in the Lancet EClinicalMedicine journal.