From Wera Hobhouse the MP for Bath: The MP marked World Cancer Day on 4th February, 2025, by calling for the government to review the screening age for breast cancer after a local Bath resident was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer at the age of 41.
During a Ministerial Statement today from Andrew Gwynne, the Public Health Minister, on the government’s National Cancer Plan, Wera Hobhouse urged the Department for Health and Social Care to review the breast cancer screening age and consider offering initial screening appointments to younger women.
This follows the Bath MP’s long-standing campaign to review the screening age for breast cancer after she met with local Bath resident, Lucy, who was diagnosed with primary breast cancer at the age of 38 and again with an incurable secondary breast cancer at the age of 41. Despite having a family history of breast cancer, Lucy felt that her concerns were initially dismissed by doctors.
In 2013, cases of breast cancer in women younger than 50 surpassed 10,000 for the first time. Nevertheless, the NHS Breast Screening Programme only invites women for an initial screening for breast cancer once they have turned 50.
Responding to Mrs Hobhouse’s call for a review of the screening programme, Minister Gwynne said that he would ensure his officials considered her proposals and made progress on the issue to detect breast cancer in women earlier.
Wera Hobhouse also hosted an event in Parliament today to tackle the inequalities in breast cancer diagnosis. She invited medical experts from Novartis Pharmaceuticals to speak to Members of Parliament about the importance of ensuring timely and accurate diagnoses for everyone to give them the best possible chance of survival.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said:
“Every ten minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. But heartbreakingly, so many young women are not diagnosed until it is far too late.
“That’s why I’m calling on the government to review the current detection programme and consider offering screening to women earlier to give them the best chance of treatment and recovery.
“Young women deserve flourishing futures – early diagnosis is key to securing them.”