By ANGELA WARHURST EVERY week 35 new cases enter Bolton's breast unit.

The vast majority of these women walk away again and await their next screening appointment.

But for some women, however, screening can reveal something far more serious which could very well change the future course of their lives.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in the next four weeks women across the country will be raising awareness of the disease.

One in 12 women in the UK will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and more than 1,000 die from the disease every month.

Despite breakthroughs in medical research there is no certain cure for breast cancer and the treatment still results in sickness, weight and hair loss.

Bolton, however, is more fortunate than many others towns of its size. Its new breast unit within Bolton General Hospital is a dedicated screening and treatment centre.

Under one roof women can be screened, have a mammography and have a pathologist, radiologist and consultant surgeon on hand to discuss their case.

Mr Richard Salem, a nationally renowned authority on breast cancer care, can only marvel at the facilities within the unit, created from the former theatres.

Before the department's move from the Bolton Royal site, Mr Salem and the breast care team would see patients during the general out patient sessions.

"This afforded women very little privacy and was not particularly ideal," he explained.

A one stop facility has long been the aim of the breast care team and within the new unit there are screened changing areas, private consulting rooms, treatment areas and lecture facilities, all within a few yards of each other.

Ninety nine per cent of the women who enter Bolton's breast unit should have no need to travel farther than the Farnworth site for their treatment.

For the past six years Bolton has been able to treat with chemotherapy although the journey to the Christie Hospital, Manchester, is needed for radiotherapy.

"The equipment needed for this is very, very expensive and requires a level of expertise to operate it," said Mr Salem.

"It is a highly specialised treatment and one which is best delivered from a dedicated site such as the Christie."

For some time Bolton has carried out the screening for both Bury and Rochdale residents.

Each town has about 14,000 women whilst Bolton has 22,000, this makes for a fairly frantic screening programme but with the very latest in X-ray machines, clinicians can view several views at one time.

Additional time from the Christie's oncologist, additional consultant time too has all been arranged to boost the service Bolton is able to offer its women.

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