Sue Cleaver holds her thumb up as she gets a mammogram

Sue Cleaver held her thumb up as she posed for an Instagram photo topless while having a mammogram on Tuesday. 

The Coronation Street actress, 60, seemed in good spirits as she had the X-ray, which looks for cancers in the breast tissue. 

Sue looked incredible in the pictures as she flashed her gorgeous smile during the scan in the doctor’s office.

The soap star used her appointment as an opportunity to tell fans to also go ‘have their boobs checked’, as it is important to find the cells early to be able to treat.

She wrote: ‘Mammogram day for me… it’s so important to get your boobs checked out! 

‘Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, please don’t put off a mammogram & you can also check your boobs yourself.

‘Predict… Prevent… Protect… @preventbreastcancer #mammogram #mammography #preventbreastcancer’.

Woman aged between 50 and 70 receive a routine invite for a mammogram every three years.

Lester Barr, who is a consultant breast surgeon and founder of the charity Prevent Breast Cancer, said: ‘Mammograms play a really important role in catching breast cancer early, and finding cancers early makes a huge difference to how easy they are to treat. 

‘Mammograms help us find cancers when they’re too small to see or feel, and before there are any signs or symptoms. This is important because early detection usually means less aggressive treatment and a higher chance of going back to a completely normal life with a normal life expectancy.’

Explaining the procedure, he continued: ‘Appointments take around half an hour and start with a quick chat with the mammographer, where they’ll ask about your family history and any concerns you have. 

‘Then, you’ll be asked to undress from your waist upwards – so it’s a good idea to wear trousers or a skirt rather than a dress, so you don’t feel too exposed after undressing your top half.

‘Once you’re comfortable, you’ll have your mammogram. A total of four x-ray images are taken – two of each breast. Each breast will be screened within the mammogram machine with an image taken from above, and one from the side. This can be uncomfortable, as your breast is slightly compressed so that we can take a clear picture, but it shouldn’t be painful and it won’t last for long.

‘You won’t get your results there and then, so after your mammogram you’ll be asked to get dressed and then you can go home. You’ll receive a letter in the post with the results. For the vast majority of women, there’s no cause for concern and you can get on with your life, being called back again in three years.

‘Around one in every 25 women will be asked to return for further assessment, but this does not definitively mean that they are facing a cancer diagnosis. Of over two million mammograms performed in 2022, only 20,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.

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‘The breast screening service plays a vital role in catching breast cancers early and helping women live long, healthy and happy lives. You should always attend your appointments – they might just save your life.’

Several fans agreed with Sue and took to the comments to share their experiences with going for mammograms which have ‘saved their lives’. 

‘I was called for my first routine mammogram in Dec 2019 aged 51. Diagnosed with breast cancer Jan 2020, had surgery in March 2 days after first lockdown then radiotherapy in June. My breast cancer was caught early as the lump could not be felt, so the mammogram saved my life!!!’

‘Great for sharing this, I had a routine mammogram and an anomaly was found. The NHS were amazing and had tests within a week. All normal, go get checked ladies’. 

‘@officialsuecleaver thanks for making such a public show of how important this is! I hope you & your bobbies are well’. 

‘Well done you for highlighting this AND for posting such personal pictures…. I really admire you for that xxx’