Recent analysis highlighted by CoppaFeel! has revealed a rise in breast cancer diagnoses among women under the age of 50, with cases increasing by 5% in a single year.

The charity has also warned that breast cancer symptoms in younger women are too often dismissed, leading to delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes.

In response, CoppaFeel! is calling for a seven-minute risk assessment to identify women who may benefit from earlier or more frequent screening based on factors such as family history, genetic predisposition and breast density, rather than relying solely on age-based screening criteria.

As a clinical negligence solicitor who has represented women affected by delayed cancer diagnoses, I welcome any measures that could help identify those at increased risk and improve access to earlier screening.

However, from my experience of handling cancer negligence claims, including cases involving women who developed breast cancer following treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, risk assessment alone is not enough.

The importance of early identification

According to the charity's report, one in six breast cancer diagnoses now occur in people aged 49 and under. It also found that younger patients are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage, when treatment options may be more limited and outcomes more severe.

The charity's campaign rightly shines a spotlight on the need for healthcare professionals to take symptoms seriously, regardless of a patient's age. Noone should have concerns dismissed simply because they are considered "too young" to develop breast cancer.

You can find out more about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer by watching our informative video: Signs You May Have Breast Cancer

Lessons from Hodgkin's lymphoma breast cancer cases

Many of the breast cancer cases I have acted in have involved women who were known to be at a significantly increased risk of developing the disease.

Women who received chest radiotherapy as part of treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma at a young age are recognised as being at a higher lifetime risk of breast cancer. Because of this, there are established screening programmes and follow-up pathways intended to detect cancer at the earliest possible stage.

Yet what I see in practice is that identifying a risk factor does not always guarantee that appropriate follow-up takes place.

Some women are never referred into enhanced surveillance programmes. Others experience delays in being invited for screening, fail to receive the recommended monitoring, or have abnormalities that are not investigated as promptly as they should be. In some cases, opportunities to diagnose breast cancer earlier are missed altogether.

Breast cancer screening must be matched by effective follow-up

The debate around risk-based screening is an important one. If the NHS can identify women who are at greater risk and offer them personalised screening programmes, many cancers could potentially be diagnosed sooner.

However, there is little value in recognising a risk factor unless the healthcare system then acts upon it effectively.

The women I represent often knew they were at increased risk. Their medical teams frequently knew too. The issue was not necessarily a failure to identify risk, but a failure to ensure that appropriate monitoring, surveillance and follow-up actually happened.

For risk-based screening to succeed, healthcare providers must have robust systems in place to:

• Identify high-risk patients accurately.

• Refer them into the appropriate surveillance pathways.

• Ensure screening invitations are issued when due.

• Investigate symptoms and abnormal findings promptly.

• Communicate clearly with patients about their ongoing risk and follow-up requirements.

Without these safeguards, there is a danger that opportunities for early diagnosis will continue to be missed.

Looking beyond awareness

CoppaFeel! has done invaluable work in raising awareness of breast cancer in younger people and encouraging individuals to seek medical advice when they notice changes.

Awareness is undoubtedly part of the solution. But so too is ensuring that healthcare systems respond appropriately once concerns are raised and once risk has been identified.

As discussions continue about personalised screening and earlier intervention, it is important to remember that patient safety depends not only on identifying women who may be at greater risk, but on ensuring they receive the follow-up care and surveillance they need.

For many of the women, earlier intervention may have led to an earlier diagnosis and potentially different treatment options. That is why any conversation about improving breast cancer screening must also address what happens after risk factors are identified. Only then can we ensure that high-risk patients receive the protection that screening programmes are designed to provide.