Almost one in three women snubbed lifesaving breast screening despite the programme catching 20,000 cancers last year, new figures show.

Those who fail to attend regular checks are missing the opportunity for tumours to be caught early, when they are easier to treat and survival chances are greater, health officials warn.

NHS England said 1.94 million women attended screening within six months of receiving an invitation in 2024/25, up from 1.75 million the previous year.

As a result, 19,291 cases of breast cancer were detected – the equivalent of nine in every 1,000 women screened and a rise of 16 per cent from 16,677 in 2023/24.

The revelation comes as Britain’s leading plastic surgeons are calling for an immediate ban on synthetic fillers being injected into women’s breasts.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said the trendy procedure – marketed as a ‘lunchtime boob job’ – poses ‘unacceptable’ risks, including infection, disfigurement and hard scar tissues known as granulomas, which may make it harder to detect early breast cancer on scans.

It says there is ‘no justification whatsoever’ for injecting dermal fillers into breast tissue and described any procedure that could potentially obscure early warning signs of cancer as ‘simply indefensible’.

In 2012, the breast filler Macrolane was withdrawn from the market amid safety concerns.

NHS England said 1.94 million women attended screening within six months of receiving an invitation in 2024/2

But despite that alert, surgeons say similar products are still being injected into breasts today, often with little oversight.

In some cases, women have required major operations to remove the material.

Fillers are often promoted as a quick, non-surgical fix for post-pregnancy volume loss, sagging after the use of weight loss jabs and a lack of upper fullness

But BAAPS says the amounts typically injected do not significantly increase size and results often look unnatural over time.

Nora Nugent, president of BAAPS, added: ‘The breast is not just cosmetic tissue, it is a gland with a biological function.

‘Infections can prevent breastfeeding and cause lasting damage.

‘Women are being sold the illusion of a quick fix. In reality, the aesthetic improvement is minimal, while the risks are very real.’

Every three years, women aged 50 to 71 are invited for breast screening.

Philomena Ofodu, 54, had her stage two breast cancer detected through screening, although she admits she almost ignored her invitation

These scans, known as a mammogram, look for cancers that are too small to see or feel.

Some 71.8 per cent of eligible women are now up to date with screening, an increase of 1.8 percentage points on last year.

Meanwhile, attendance among women invited for screening for the first time also reached 63.6 per cent, the highest level in a decade.

Dr Harrison Carter, director of screening at NHS England, said: ‘Breast screening can save lives.

‘With nearly 20,000 cancers detected early through screening last year, it’s encouraging to see more women attending, especially those invited for the first time, because making screening a habit can help protect your health for years to come.’

However, Dr Carter said there is ‘much more still to do’ to support more women to access breast screening, with around three in ten not taking up the screening offer.

‘If you receive an invitation, please don’t ignore it,’ he added.

‘It’s an appointment that could save your life.’

NHS England and screening services are working to improve uptake by sending reminder texts and expanding the use of mobile units to reach communities.

Philomena Ofodu, 54, had her stage two breast cancer detected through screening, although she admits she almost ignored her invitation.

She said: ‘Encouraging women to attend their breast screening appointment is something that I am extremely passionate about, as I know how much it matters.

‘I’ve lost friends who might still be here if their cancer had been found earlier, and I very nearly ignored my own screening invitation, too.

‘At the time, I didn’t want to disrupt a new job I loved, but that small delay could have cost me everything.’

Breast cancer affects one in seven women in the UK, with more than 44,000 new cases every year.