NHS could start offering breast cancer checks to women in their thirties

A mammogram check for breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women aged 35 to 50 in the UK. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

Millions of women in their thirties could be offered breast cancer checks on the NHS after a world-first trial identified those with a higher risk of developing the disease.

Currently, women are only eligible for breast screening from the age of 50. But about 10,000 women under 50 are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, including 2,400 in their thirties. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35 to 50.