October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we're reminding people affected by lymphoma to keep up-to-date with any screening appointments they are eligible for.

As standard, the NHS breast cancer screening programme is available to all women aged 50 to 70, to help identify any early signs of breast cancer. After this age, it is possible to refer yourself for screening. 

Usually, breast cancer screening starts 8 to 15 years after lymphoma treatment, which is when the increased risk of this cancer can develop.

Last year, however, NHS England issued guidance for another group of women to have annual breast cancer screening checks. This applies to those who had radiotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma:

  • at age 10 up to 35 years old
  • above the waist
  • in the years 1962 to 2003. 

You can read more about this on the NHS England website.

After 2003, women treated in this way should automatically receive annual screening invitations.

Screening appointments are an important part healthcare, particularly if you have had a lymphoma diagnosis. This is because lymphoma treatment can increase your risk of going on to later develop another cancer type (known as a second cancer) or a different type of lymphoma. Most people do not go on to develop a second cancer, but it's important to be aware of the possible signs and to keep up-to-date with any checks you're offered. You can find out more about second cancers in our information about late effects (health problems that develop months or years after treatment).

Screening is a way of finding out if people have a higher chance of having a health problem, so that early treatment can be offered or information given to help them make informed decisions.

NHS, 2024

If you are worried about your risk of breast cancer, please speak to a member of your medical team. The NHS website has information about breast cancer in women and about breast cancer in men.

You might also be interested in our information about:

You can find out more about the Breast Cancer Awareness initiative on the World Health Organization's website.

We're here for you, however you are affected by lymphoma.

Don't face lymphoma alone.