Dense breasts or breast cancer in the family? What screening changes mean for you
If you are at higher risk of breast cancer, screening looks set to change. Here’s what we know so far.
The Australian approach to breast cancer screening is undergoing a transformation, moving away from an age-based method towards a more personalized strategy. This shift, outlined in a recent review, aims to tailor screening based on individual risk factors such as breast density, family history, genetic tests, and artificial intelligence (AI). However, these changes will be introduced gradually over the next decade. The implications for women who may unknowingly be at higher risk are significant.
Currently, the BreastScreen program primarily recommends annual screenings for women with a strong family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. Yet, the broader application of risk stratification, which involves assessing individual risk levels, is limited. Factors like dense breast tissue, a known significant risk factor, are factored into this strategy. Women with dense breasts are more likely to develop breast cancer and may have cancers missed during routine screenings.
In Australia, all women are informed about their breast density at screening, and guidance is provided for GPs when dealing with dense breasts. Yet, there are uncertainties around how to effectively communicate this risk and whether additional imaging methods like 3D mammography, contrast-enhanced mammography, or MRI are accessible.
Other factors, such as family history and genetic tests, also play a crucial role in determining risk. Online tools like iPrevent and CanRisk aid in assessing risk based on these elements, which can guide further management strategies.
Artificial intelligence is also being explored to enhance mammography interpretation and predict disease risk, potentially easing the workload on radiologists and aiding in the identification of who should be recalled for further assessments. However, the framework for utilizing this comprehensive data and translating it into practical screening methods remains undeveloped.
The introduction of these changes will occur gradually, with pilot studies needed to assess their effectiveness before broader implementation. Women are encouraged to follow the existing screening schedule, discuss their breast health with healthcare providers, and promptly report any new symptoms.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.