Bradford's breast-screening unit is to expand, with more staff and new equipment, after receiving a regional award.

The Pennine Breast Screening Unit had detected 133 early cancers last year, after recalling 1,582 women for further tests and sending 184 for surgery. The screening service's chief, John Philip, stressed X-ray provided the best way of detecting cancer and urged women to ignore "armchair statistics" and attend appointments at the clinic.

The message came after Danish researchers recently questioned the proven benefits of breast-screening.

The scanning's latest report - released to the board of Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust - revealed it had won an award from Kodak for the most improving centre in the region.

Mr Philip, clinical director of the Trinity Road site, said many women's lives had been saved through its work while countless others had been reassured after getting the all-clear.

Every year the service offers screening to 30,000 women aged between 50 and 64, living in Bradford, Airdale, Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield. Around 72 per cent attended.

Mr Philip said 32 women were at the "very early stage" of the disease when the treatment was considered to offer a complete cure. Of those with cancer, 72 had growths smaller than two centimetres - too small to be felt by hand. Mr Philip said because of this, the disease would have gone undiagnosed without screening.

He added: "Regular breast-screening offers the best hope of curing breast cancer. It is a well-proven fact.'' The unit plans to take on more staff and buy new equipment.

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