ABSTRACT
Some women may be too busy to attend, and these should be encouraged to seek an alternative appointment at a convenient time. Some may have heard that the test is painful or that there are long queues or delays at the X-ray department. If these concerns are well founded, the matter should be resolved. Otherwise, the woman should be reassured that mammography is no more painful than, for example, a venepuncture or a cervical smear. Some may think that the screening would make no difference, and these women may be told that an earlier diagnosis leads to less radical treatment and a better prognosis.
