Screening Programmes Available in Leeds

Breast Screening

Leeds Wakefield Breast Screening Programme routinely invites women between the ages of 50 to 70 years old every 3 years.

Breast screening is a method of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage.

The first step involves an x-ray of each breast - a mammogram - which is taken while carefully compressing the breast. Most women find it a bit uncomfortable and a few find it painful.

The mammogram can detect small changes in breast tissue which may indicate cancers which are too small to be felt either by the woman herself or by a doctor.

If you would like to know more about Breast Screening please go to the cancer screening website 

If you would like to see what happens when you go to a Leeds Wakefield Breast Screening Unit for a breast screen, known as a mammogram you can view this short film: (Life channel breast screening film)

Cervical Screening

All women in Leeds between the ages of 25 and 64 are eligible for a free cervical screening test every three to five years.

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer.

If you would like to find out more about cervical screening please go to the cancer screening website

Bowel Screening

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in Leeds offers screening every two years to all men and women aged 60 to 69.

Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage (in people with no symptoms), when treatment is more likely to be effective.

Bowel cancer screening can also detect polyps. These are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They can easily be removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing.

If you would like to find out more about bowel screening please go to the cancer screening website.

Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

Screening is offered every year to people aged 12 or over with diabetes in Leeds.

The aim of the programme is to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst people with diabetes in Leeds.

Screening involves digital photography of the retina followed by a two- or three- stage image grading process to identify the changes of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in the retina.

If you would like to know more about diabetic retinopathy read the Diabetic Retinopathy Facts Leaflet.

Related sites

Retinal ScreeningNational retinal screening websiteNHS ChoicesCancer ScreeningNational cancer screening website

Related downloads

| diabeticRetinopathyFacts.pdf (1.24 MB)