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Breast Cancer: Younger Women
12 November 2024
Lead MP
Wera Hobhouse
Bath
Lib Dem
Responding Minister
Not recorded
Tags
Taxation
Word Count: 3515
Other Contributors: 3
At a Glance
Wera Hobhouse raised concerns about breast cancer: younger women in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.
Key Requests to Government:
The hon. Member calls on the Department of Health and Social Care to review the national breast cancer screening programme, explore the merits of early optional ultrasound for younger women, educate healthcare professionals to take symptoms seriously, and increase resources so that younger women are investigated thoroughly when seeking help.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The hon. Member Wera Hobhouse is concerned about the difficulties younger women face in getting diagnosed with breast cancer due to a lack of routine screening and symptoms being dismissed as less serious issues. She cites her constituent Lucy's struggle, who was initially told by multiple doctors that her lump was likely hormonal before receiving a biopsy that confirmed cancer. The second time around, despite expressing concerns about new symptoms, she was repeatedly assured it was just side effects from previous treatment. Only after paying for a private MRI did she learn the cancer had returned as secondary breast cancer. Hobhouse also highlights global statistics showing an 80% increase in cancers among under-50s over three decades and mentions that breast cancer accounts for 43% of all cancers diagnosed in women aged 25 to 49.
Clive Jones
Lib Dem
Wokingham
Congratulates Vera Hobhouse on securing the debate, raising concerns about equitable access to genetic counselling services for those with the BRCA gene. Calls for NHS England to ensure equal information and guidance across different regions.
Helen Grant
Con
Maidstone and Malling
Congratulates Vera Hobhouse on securing the debate, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and self-examination for young women in the fight against breast cancer due to age restrictions on NHS mammograms.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discusses the high incidence of breast cancer among younger women, citing studies that suggest a more aggressive pathophysiology and poorer outcomes compared to older patients. Suggests lowering age requirements for breast screening to ensure quicker intervention.
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Assessment & feedback
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.