Women with a household historical past of breast most cancers could possibly be supplied mammograms from the age of 40, a nationwide screening chief suggests.

The X-ray exams ought to reveal any early indicators of the most cancers.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, main oncologist and Government adviser, mentioned increasing focused checks for these at increased danger could assist catch extra instances.

Women are sometimes invited for NHS breast checks each three years between 50 and 70.

Sir Mike, who chairs the UK nationwide screening committee, mentioned it was contemplating rolling out a programme that might improve eligibility for focused checks.

He mentioned focused screening for these outdoors the usual age vary was at present solely supplied to a “tiny” variety of ladies however “far more” may profit.

Younger ladies who carry mutations within the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which improve danger, are at present supplied extra testing.

BRCA1 is typically dubbed the “Jolie gene” after actress Angelina Jolie had her breasts eliminated after discovering she was a provider. Sir Mike advised a newspaper: “There are people who say if you’ve got a family history maybe you should have a one-off mammogram at 40.”

He added: “I’m not advocating one approach but there are a lots ­of questions like that need to be answered.”

Breast screening saves round 1,300 lives every year within the UK.

Screening can assist catch cancers early, earlier than they're giant sufficient to really feel by means of the pores and skin. Around 9 in each 1,000 ladies checked are discovered to have most cancers.

However the method isn't danger free – typically screening can choose up cancers that might not have been life-threatening, resulting in pointless therapy.

The exams may result in false-positives, nervousness and radiation harm which very barely will increase most cancers danger over a lifetime.

Sir Mike mentioned: “There are far more women in between standard risk and very high risk. Women who’ve got a family history but it’s not the BRCA1 or 2 are probably the largest group.

“Also we know women with very dense breasts on mammography are both at higher risk of cancer but they are also more difficult for mammography to pick up because of the density.”

The committee can be contemplating the potential of a nationwide programme for prostate most cancers. Currently the PSA check which is used to detect indicators of illness is ­not thought of correct sufficient, however males can request it from their GP.

Prostate most cancers is the most typical most cancers in males. More than 52,000 males are identified with the most cancers yearly on common.