Guidance

Breast screening: clinical guidelines for screening assessment

Clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals screening women for breast cancer.

• From: NHS England
• Published: 1 June 2010
• Last updated: 22 January 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 22 January 2026

     Fixed broken link. Added new rationale in table for B3 lesions.

  2. 4 December 2025

     • Inclusion of the use of Contrast Enhanced Mammography (CEM) where indicated in certain cases and where available in assessment clinics • Shorter recall period of 6 months for masses, asymmetries and architectural distortions • Guidance on cases with multiple foci of abnormality • Addition of the requirement to complete NBSS data entry in assessment clinic • Other points of clarification, reorganisation of sections and updates to figures

  3. 25 November 2025

     Technical updates

  4. 29 July 2025

     Changed lead organisation from Public Health England to NHS England.

  5. 15 November 2016

     Updated with new 2016 clinical guidance.

  6. 1 June 2010

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Clinical guidance for breast cancer screening assessment

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Details

The aim of assessment is to obtain a definitive and timely diagnosis of all potential abnormalities detected during screening.

This is best achieved by using ‘triple assessment’, comprising:

• imaging (usually mammography and ultrasound)
• clinical examination
• image guided needle biopsy for histological examination if indicated

Cytology should no longer be used alone to obtain a non-operative diagnosis of breast cancer.