Women aged 50 to 70 are too reliant on mammograms to spot signs of breast cancer, a British charity has warned.
Breast Cancer Care says it's vital women in this age group - who are most at risk of cancer - check their breasts between screenings.
Its survey of 1012 British women aged 50 and over showed that, despite 84 per cent attending regular screening, one in seven (14 per cent) never checked their breasts between appointments.
Most (around 80 per cent) of breast cancer cases occur in women over the age of 50.
Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care, said: "Early detection of breast cancer can save lives.
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"It's vital women know to keep checking their breasts, even if they're attending regular mammograms, and that they can request screening appointments after the age of 70, as symptoms can occur at any time.
"There's no right or wrong way to check your breasts - it's about looking and feeling regularly, so any unusual changes can be spotted quickly.
"The majority of breast cancers are diagnosed in women over 50. So we must make sure that, as women get older, they are armed with all the information they need about breast cancer symptoms and routine screening."
The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in eight for women.
