Margaret McCartney: Early cancer diagnosis: how low should we go?

It must be difficult for GPs to decide when to refer patients, but the situation could be improved for women at risk of breast cancer. The harms of screening are well known, but it seems that some women under 50 have difficulty in being referred on to specialists: I have heard several anecdotes recently of younger women in Scotland being refused referral with symptoms that were clearly those of cancer. Do GPs need more training? Or should referral guidelines be revised? Otherwise lives may be lost.