Women with dense breasts may benefit from extra cancer screenings, according to a new study. Researchers found that adding extra scans could identify an additional 3,500 early-stage cancers that are often missed during regular mammograms.
Around 10% of women have very dense breasts, which increases their risk of developing breast cancer by up to four times compared to those with low breast density. Currently, over 2.2 million women receive breast screening in the UK each year, but mammograms can be less effective at detecting cancer in dense breasts due to the higher tissue density.
A study published in The Lancet medical journal looked at over 9,000 women with dense breasts who underwent regular mammograms but did not have cancer. The scientists trialled three extra testing methods and found an additional 85 cancers among these women.
One participant, Louise Duffield, a 60-year-old grandmother from Cambridgeshire, was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer after taking part in the trial. She had undergone a faster type of MRI scan that identified a small lump deep inside her breast, which led to further testing and a diagnosis of very early breast cancer.
Experts estimate that adding these extra tests to existing breast screening could detect 3,500 more cancers per year in the UK, resulting in an additional 700 lives saved each year. The Department for Health and Social Care is conducting research into the use of additional tests for women with dense breasts as part of the NHS breast screening programme.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/extra-cancer-screenings-for-women-with-dense-breasts-could-save-hundreds-of-lives-study-finds-13372492