THE number of women being screened for breast cancer has increased greatly since Kylie Minogue, the pop singer, revealed earlier this year that she had the disease.

The “Kylie Effect”, the result of publicity about the diagnosis and increasing awareness of the dangers of the disease, has been welcomed by doctors. A spokesman for the breast cancer charity Breakthrough said: “Out of something so terrible for Kylie has come something positive.”

Since Ms Minogue said that she was suffering from early stages of the disease in May, the number of women attending the Breast Care Centre at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol for screening has increased by 25 per cent. Other units across Britain have reported similar increases. Simon Cawthorne, a consultant surgeon and breast cancer specialist at Frenchay, said that in July alone the number of screenings rose from 400 last year to 500.

Dr Cawthorne said: “There has been a noteable rise in women of all ages being referred since Ms Minogue’s diagnosis. After reading about her in the media, women have become more anxious about the disease and are checking themselves more regularly.

“Often the lumps they find turn out to be harmless cysts but they should always be checked out. Ms Minogue’s case has highlighted the importance of self-examination, especially in younger women who are less aware of breast cancer symptoms because they are less susceptible to the disease.”

The breast care unit at Nottingham City Hospital has reported a similar increase. A spokesman said: “Staff in our unit have reported a noteable rise in women coming to be screened since Kylie Minogue’s illness was diagnosed. This is because of women becoming more aware of the disease through Ms Minogue’s experience.”

The Royal Devon and Exeter Breast Care Unit said that it had also been “noticeably busier”. A spokesman said: “The general feeling is that there has been an increase in the number of referrals to the clinic, particularly in younger women of Kylie’s age.

“The publicity her case has been given has greatly affected awareness and staff believe this is a very positive outcome. Kylie is a role model for many young women and her going through this experience has highlighted the issues surrounding breast cancer.”

A survey conducted by Breakthrough before Ms Minogue’s announcement found that 47 per cent of women in Britain never checked their breasts for lumps.

The case has played a positive role in prompting women to take more care of their breasts, the charity said. It said that half of all women were “more aware” of breast cancer since her illness, with awareness increasing across all age groups, but particularly in the singer’s own age group, the 35-44-year-olds.

An average of 40,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in Britain and it is the second-biggest killer of women after lung cancer.

Ms Minogue, 37, has been undergoing chemotherapy at a clinic in Paris. The singer has been spotted with her boyfriend, Olivier Martinez, looking frail and wearing a headscarf to cover up hair loss caused by her treatment.

Breakthrough has started a “TLC” campaign — Touch Look Check — which aims to encourage more women to “love their breasts”.

A Breakthrough spokesman said: “Many women do not like their breasts and do not pay them enough attention. Women have to think about their breasts more and check them regularly if they are to detect lumps and other symptoms.

“Changes to look out for include unusual pain, nipple discharge, dimpling of the skin and lumps which are new and not related to the menstrual cycle. Awareness and education about breast cancer, and dispelling the embarrassment linked to breast issues, are critical. Kylie’s case has brought these issues to the forefront for many women.”

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