Breast Cancer in South Asian Women

Incidence and screening disparities

Breast cancer incidence in South Asian women (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan heritage) is lower than in white British women. However, South Asian women are significantly less likely to attend NHS breast screening appointments, and are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage when cancer is harder to treat.

Why screening uptake is lower

• Language barriers: Invitation letters and appointment materials may not be in the relevant language
• Cultural factors: Modesty concerns; some women prefer a female radiographer for the examination
• Lack of awareness: Lower health literacy about breast cancer symptoms and the importance of screening
• Fatalism: Some cultural or religious frameworks can frame illness as inevitable or not requiring medical intervention
• Practical barriers: Caring responsibilities, difficulty taking time off work, transportation
• Mistrust of medical services: Historical experiences of poor cross-cultural communication

Your NHS rights

All women are entitled to request a female radiographer for their mammogram — this is a legal right, not a preference that can be refused. You are also entitled to a professional interpreter free of charge for any NHS appointment. You do not need to bring a family member to translate.

The situation in South Asia

In the countries Breast Cancer Awareness works in — Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia — the barriers for South Asian women in the UK are amplified a hundredfold. No routine screening programme exists. Health literacy about breast cancer is very low. Cultural barriers to disclosure are significant. And access to treatment, even when cancer is found, is severely limited by cost and geography. This is why our work matters — and why representation and community-level outreach are central to it.