Around 48 000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and 11 700 cases end terminally, however, the chance of being diagnosed with late stage breast cancer is significantly higher among elderly women.

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Cambridge found that women aged 70 to 74 are a fifth more likely to be diagnosed when the cancer has reached later stages than women aged 65 to 69. Women between 75 and 79 have an almost 50 per cent higher chance of a late-stage diagnosis than those 10 years younger.

Figures also reveal that only 78 per cent of women in their seventies and 64 per cent of women in their eighties survive the illness compared to 87 per cent of women diagnosed in their sixties.

Experts have found several factors that explain this correlation. First of all, older women are often more ignorant to breast cancer symptoms compared to younger generations.

One of the study authors, Dr Georgios Lyratzopoulos, based at the University of Cambridge, said: "Patient awareness of the signs of breast cancer is known to be lower among older women and this may explain why breast cancer is diagnosed later among this age group."

Many older women also tend not to see their GP even though they suspect being seriously ill, explains Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK: "There is a general reluctance to see the doctor ingrained in the older generations. Obviously the longer you leave the cancer the more likely it is to metastasise, to spread, and consequently it is far more difficult to treat.'

Interestingly, the study also included more than 13200 patients with lung cancer and figures reveal that the chance of being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer actually falls with advancing age. In comparison to those patients aged 65 to 69, people from 70 to 74 were 18 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. For those who were older, aged 75 to 79, the chance was 26% lower.

The researchers have not yet reached a conclusion with regards to the causes of this pattern. Sara Hiom, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said: "We have made great progress in improving cancer survival rates in the last 40 years, but there is still more work to be done to help more people survive cancer."