Evaluation of extension of breast screening to women aged 65–70 in England using screening performance measures

The objective of this study was to investigate screening performance measures in the English screening units that began inviting women aged 65–70 between 1 April 2001 and 1 April 2004. We analysed results after each unit commenced inviting women aged 65–70. In addition, we analysed data from units that invited this age group for a second time between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2007. Results for women aged 65–70 were compared to women aged 50–64 and 60–64. Average uptake was 72.8% for women aged 65–70 and 76.7% for women aged 50–64. For women screened within the last 5 years, uptake was 88.7% for older women and 89.1% for younger women. For women previously screened within 5 years the invasive cancer detection rate was 17% higher in the 65–70 age group than in the 60–64 age group. The rates of recall to assessment and PPV were 3.5 and 27.6% in women aged 65–70 and 3.4 and 24.6% in women aged 50–64 respectively. These results suggest that, as in the earlier demonstration studies, uptake rates remain high in older women, and many more older women attend following an invitation than had previously self-referred. The cancer detection rate is higher in this older age group, whereas rates of recall are generally similar to those in younger women; consequently the PPV is also higher in older women.