Private Mammogram Screening for Breast Cancer

Screen for early-stage breast cancer with rapid access to private mammograms.

Detect cancer before changes can be felt in the breast with our fast and reliable breast screening service.

  • No need for a GP referral
  • Rapid access appointment
  • Reports by highly experienced consultant breast radiologists
  • Reduced time to diagnosis, ensuring prompt referral for treatment

 

 

What is a mammogram?

A mammogram is a type of breast screening that uses low-dose X-rays to assess the health of breast tissue. The aim is to identify changes or abnormalities in the breast such as micro-calcifications (tiny deposits of calcium in the breast), masses or cysts, that could be early signs that breast cancer is present before you experience any symptoms.

Why should I have a mammogram screening?

Regular screenings are recommended to increase the chance of early detection when breast cancer is most treatable and you have the highest chances of survival. Several large studies from around the world show that regular mammograms reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer in women aged 40 to 69, especially in those aged 50+. By detecting breast cancer at an early stage, mammography has helped significantly reduce the death rate of breast cancer in women aged 50 and over in the UK.

Why should I have a mammogram screening?

Professor Simon Russell, Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Diagnosing breast cancer early and then getting the best available treatment is vital in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer. When found early, when small and before it has had a chance to spread, breast cancer is easier to treat successfully. Regular breast screening leads to cancers being discovered before they can be felt, when they are smaller and when they are less likely to have spread.

Triple assessment in a one-stop clinic with clinical examination, breast imaging and biopsy, ensures a rapid diagnosis, enabling prompt treatment and a better outcome as well as reducing anxiety and stress.

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What happens at a mammogram?

At a mammogram, a technician will take two X-rays of each breast (four images in total). You will be undressed from the waist up and the mammographer will position your breasts on the X-ray machine one at a time. The machine will squeeze your breast between two plates while an X-ray is taken. The mammograms only take a few minutes, with the appointment taking around 30 minutes from start to finish.

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What happens at a mammogram?
How to book a mammogram screening

How to book a mammogram screening

Our mammogram appointments can only be booked via telephone. Please call us on 0800 085 6663 to speak with our dedicated customer care team. Our lines are open from 8am to 6pm.

FAQs

Can I have a screening mammogram if I have a history of breast cancer ?

If you have had previous breast cancer in the last five years or are still under the care of your breast consultant, you will be unable to have a screening mammogram with Check4Cancer.

Can I have a mammogram if I'm breastfeeding or pregnant?

If you are pregnant you will not be able to have a screening mammogram until six months after the birth. If you are breastfeeding you will need to wait approximately six months after stopping breastfeeding before you can have a screening mammogram. 

How often can I have a mammogram?

Women aged 40-49 years

  • We can provide you with a private screening mammogram annually. However, if you have had a mammogram within the last 12 months, we will be unable to provide you with a screening mammogram.

Women aged 50+

  • In the UK, women aged 50–70 are invited to attend for breast screening every three years as part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme. However, if you would like a mammogram privately with Check4Cancer and you are aged 50+, we can offer mammograms to you every two years.
What is a breast screening mammogram?

A breast screening mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have NO signs or symptoms of breast cancer. It usually involves two X-rays of each breast.

  • Mammograms make it possible to detect tumours that cannot be felt.
  • Mammograms also can find micro-calcifications (tiny deposits of calcium in the breast) that sometimes indicate the presence of early breast cancer.
  • Screening mammography involves taking an x-ray picture of each breast while it is being gently compressed.
  • Although it may cause mild discomfort, it can detect breast cancer at an early stage before changes can be felt in the breast by you or your doctor.

What are some of the limitations of screening mammograms?

Even though mammography can detect tumours that cannot be felt, finding a small tumour does not mean that a woman’s life will always be saved. Mammography may not help a woman with a fast-growing or aggressive cancer that already has spread to other parts of her body before being detected.

What is a false negative in a mammogram?

False negatives occur when mammograms appear normal even though breast cancer is present. Overall, mammograms miss up to 20 percent of the breast cancers in older women that are present at the time of screening. False negatives occur more often in younger women than in older women because the dense breasts of younger women make breast cancers more difficult to detect on a  mammogram. As women age, their breasts usually become more fatty (and therefore less dense), and breast cancers become easier to detect with screening mammograms.

Why should I have a mammogram?

Several large studies around the world show that breast cancer screening with mammograms reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer in women aged between 40-69, especially in those aged 50+. By detecting breast cancer at an early stage, breast screening using mammography has helped to reduce the death rate of breast cancer in women aged 50+ in the UK.

Mammography will not pick up all breast cancers however, in women aged 50+ mammography will pick up approximately 85% of all breast cancers. In younger women however, the test is much less sensitive because of the presence of dense breast tissue and may miss up to 50% of the breast cancers present in this age group. As a result, mammograms should be performed yearly in younger women to try and reduce the numbers of missed cancers.

 

How do I book a mammogram?
  • Mammogram appointments can only be booked by telephone.
  • Please call us to speak with our dedicated customer care team (call centre hours are from 08.00 – 18.00) or you can request a call back here .
  • A Mammogram appointment costs £242.
Before your mammogram test please follow these tips to give you the best possible outcome
  • Scheduling your appointment for the week after your period, typically, the time when your breasts are least tender.
  • Your underarms and breasts. Do not use deodorant, lotion or powders on the day of your mammogram.
  • Comfortable clothing, with a separate top you can easily remove.
What should women with breast implants do about screening mammograms?

Women with breast implants can continue to have mammograms. A woman who had an implant following breast cancer surgery should ask her doctor whether a mammogram of the reconstructed breast is necessary.

It is important to inform the mammography facility about breast implants when scheduling a mammogram. The technician and radiologist must be experienced in X-raying patients with breast implants. Implants can hide some breast tissue, making it more difficult for the radiologist to detect an abnormality on the mammogram.

If the radiographer performing the procedure is aware a woman has breast implants, steps can be taken to make sure that as much breast tissue as possible can be seen on the mammogram. Many women with breast implants complain of increased mammography discomfort compared with life before breast implants.

What happens after my mammogram appointment?
  • Following your appointment, you will receive a results letter within 3-4 weeks.
  • If your test is abnormal, we will call you before sending your results letter.  
  • Should you have an abnormal test result, you may be eligible for referral to a private consultant or to the NHS via your GP.

 

Cancellation Policy

We’re pleased to cancel and re-schedule any appointments without penalty or administration fees up to 24 hours before your appointment. However, with less than 24 hours’ notice of cancellation, re-scheduling or non-attendance on the day does incur a 100% cancellation fee as we’ll be unable to re-use the time to support other clients. New appointments will be charged at the ‘self-pay’ rate of £230.

Anon
Customer

I think your screening mammogram service might have saved my life. As a result of the mammogram, I was found to have a DCIS* and had a lumpectomy and then radiotherapy. I will be followed up every six months at the London clinic. It’s a brilliant thing you do and I am very grateful.

(*DCIS means 'Ductal Carcinoma in situ and is considered the earliest form of breast cancer) 

Anon
Edith
Customer

I couldn't have asked for a better service/experience. My appointment was scheduled for one week after my initial contact. In one hour at my appointment I had an examination, a mammogram and the all clear. I couldn't have asked for a more. Thank you all so much!

Edith
Laura
Customer

Nurse was very gentle and put me at ease and Mr Skene was very professional, patient, took all information and explained me his impression before the mammogram exam. Thank you!

Laura