Refining breast cancer risk materials and optimising care pathways
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Providing breast cancer risk information as part of the national breast cancer screening programme: building an evidence base on benefits and harms to inform a decision to implement
IRAS ID
228943
Contact name
Gareth Evans
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK affecting 1 in 8 women, though women’s individual risk of breast cancer varies broadly. The National Health Service Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) offers three-yearly screening to women aged 50-70yrs. In 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) advised that women at increased risk of breast cancer should be offered more frequent screening by mammography, and chemoprevention. However currently women are not informed of their risks via the NHSBSP; only those with a family history of breast cancer, who are concerned about their risk and request a referral to a Family History Clinic via their GP, will be informed of their risk. As a result NICE guidance cannot be widely implemented.
To implement personalised risk-stratified screening and prevention as part of the NHSBSP, women need to be aware of their breast cancer risk. In previous research (PROCAS1) we optimised a risk-estimation model and utilised it within Greater Manchester NHSBSP. This study forms part of the broader PROCAS2 research programme, which aims develop an automated risk estimation model, BC-Predict, which will provide women with their breast cancer risk and offer appropriate follow-up care pathways involving chemoprevention for moderate/high-risk women (≥5% ten year-risk) and more frequent mammography for moderate-risk women aged <50yrs and high-risk women up to age 60yrs. Before utilising the BC-Predict model, work to refine risk communication materials and optimise the care pathways is required.
These objectives will be achieved through qualitative research which will be conducted in two phases:
1) Focus groups with healthcare professionals from across the screening pathway
2) Interviews with “hard-to-reach” women (women less likely to engage with screening, including those from low socioeconomic groups and ethnic minority groups).REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1275
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion