Pick-up rate
Detects ~8 breast Cancers per 1000 women screened for first time
over 40.
- then 2-3 per 1000 for subsequent screening.
Mediolateral oblique (MLO) and craniocaudal (CO) views taken.
- radiation dose small; 100mrad or 0.1 cGy. Evidence for screening
efficacy
- (endpoint death) 8 prospective RCTs
conducted
- 7 at age 40+
- 1 at age 50+
- none screened beyond 74.
Nearly 500,000 women in total.
Meta-analysis in Lancet 2001
(October):
- only 2 of these trials was thought of suitable quality to include
- other 6 excluded
--> no significance reached in relative risk reduction
--> "screening not justified at any age".
US Preventive Service Task Force
Review in 2002:
- 7 of the trials thought suitable quality.
- evaluated effectiveness of screening after 14 years of observation
- in all age groups, RR = 0.84 (CI=0.77-0.91)
- in women 50+, RR = 0.85 (CI 0.73-0.99)
- in women 40-49. RR = 0.85 (CI 0.73-0.99)
Thus NNT (screen) = 1224 for all ages to prevent one death
- or 838 for ages 50+
- of 1792 for ages 40-49.
Bottom line
Perhaps 1 life saved for every 1000 lives screened (some say 1-2
lives).
World Health Organization guidelines for a rational screening
program (1968).
The condition should be an important health problem.
There should be a treatment for the condition.
Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be available.
There should be a latent stage of the disease.
There should be a test or examination for the condition.
The test should be acceptable to the population.
The natural history of the disease should be adequately understood.
There should be an agreed policy on whom to treat.
The total cost of finding a case should be economically balanced in
relation to medical expenditure as a whole.
Case-finding should be a continuous process, not just a "once and
for all" project. Outline of evidence for guidelines
Should be offered annually to women 50+ on current evidence.
- now screen 50-74yo in Aus
- 40+ can turn up without a referral.
And ideally at least biennially to women aged 40-49
- screening interval depending on risk factors
Younger women with risk should be offered annual screening.
Mortality from breast cancer reduced 25% from 1990-2000, screening
has contributed.
- decreased T-stage and increase in carcinoma in situ. General Screening Recommendations
(Australian Guidelines) 1. For women of average risk:
- regular 2 yearly mammography, between ages 50-69 (best evidence
here due to breast density reduction after menopause; beyond 70
survival benefits become more marginal)
- but women aged 40-50 and 70+ are able to attend.
- mammography is not recommended for women younger than 40 years.
- if aged 40-49, women are encouraged to assess risks and benefits
for themselves and balance these risks considering that screening is
less effective.
- if aged 70+, encouraged to assess risks and benefits for
themselves and balance these risks considering that screening is
less effective.
- current participation rate for target age range is ~55% in
Australia under BreastScreen Australia Program
- Mammography will pick up 90% of cancers "down to the size of a
grain of rice"
2. Family History
- Individualised surveillance programs necessary
- Depends on age; e.g. regular self-surveillance, clinical exam,
imaging with USS / mammography / MRI
- MRI now funded for screening in young at-risk. General Aus. family history
guideline:
Annual mammogram from age 40 if:
- One first degree relative with breast cancer before 50y
- One first degree relative with cancer in both breasts at any age
- Two or more first degree relatives with breast cancer at any age Additional Notes from Cameron
--> Should begin annual screening 5-10 years (us. 10 years)
before youngest age of diagnosis of breast cancer in a relative
--> if BRCA +ve, screen form age 25, may need MRI.
3. High Risk Assessment
Models exist to strategy risk.
- high = >20% lifetime risk
- moderate = 15-20% lifetime risk
High risk: annual mammogram and ultrasound and 6 monthly
examinations
Genetic causes of breast cancer include: -BRCA 1 and 2 (90% of genetic CAs)
- p53
- PTEN (Cowden)
- Li Fraumeni
- others: HNPCC, Peutz-Jegher, Gorlin, androgen receptor gene
Tests for BRCA 1 and 2 are available
- expensive testing as must sequence a large gene with many
mutations.
See breast cancer notes for management Risk Categories
1. At or slightly above average risk
- no confirmed family hx
- one 1st or 2nd degree relative with breast Ca dx over 50
- two 1st or 2nd degree relatives dx with breast Ca at 50+ but on
different sides of family
- one 2nd degree relative with breast Ca at any age
- covers 95% of population - lifetime risk is 1:12
-->
Mammogram from age 50y every 2y until 75 then “allowed to attend”
[2. Slightly above average risk]
1 first degree relative or 2nd degree before 50
- lifetime risk 1:10
-->Mammogram
from age 50y every 2y until 70 then “allowed to attend”
3. Moderately increased risk - 1 or 2 first degree relatives with breast Ca dx before the age
of 50 (no high risk features)
- 2x 1st or 2nd degree relatives on same side of family with breast
or ovarian Ca
- covers <4% of population - lifetime risk 1:8
-->
Begin screening 10y below first relative’s age or
at 40
-->
Yearly mammogram
4. High-risk
- 3x 1st or 2nd degree relatives on same side of family with breast
or ovarian Ca
- 2 or more 1st or 2nd degree relatives on same side of family with
breast or ovarian Ca and high risk features
--> ie. bilateral, age 40 or less, breast and ovary in one
individual, male breast
- one 1st or 2nd degree with breast Ca at age45 or younger and 1-2
on same side with sarcoma 45 or less
- member of family with high risk breast cancer gene
- covers <1% of population - lifetime risk 1:4
-->
genetic testing
-->annual
mammo and USS and 6m exam
-->
young pt with high risk, best test is annual mri.
-->if
test –ve and high risk, then still eligible for annual mri from
any age;
generally from age 30.
-->
if test +ve also counsel for preventative
mastectomy.
Screening Modalities
1. Self Examination
Recent updates have removed this from guidelines
No reduction in mortality from large RCTs
Cochrane review = no evidence
for teaching or doing this.
2. Clinical Breast Exam
Key component; 10-20% of cancers are not visible on mammography
Beginning at age 20, should have clinical breast exam every 2-3
years, then annually after 40
Perform before mammography so that imaging can be correlated and
biopsied, even if mammography normal.
6 monthly if high risk.
3. Mammography
Foundation of screening.
Two views: Craniocaudal Projection
(CC) and MedioLateral
Oblique (MLO)
- different from diagnostic mammography, whi h also includes
additional view for palpable or screen-detected lesions.
- including spot compression,
magnification views, exaggerated views or true lateral views
- as well as diagnostic ultrasound
Women with implants should have implant-displacement views, improves
imaging of anterior part of each breast
- ie implant push back, and breast pulled forward over it, focusing
on anterior breast.
Digital mammography now widely used; is equivalent.
- can use computer-assisted diagnosis; computer algorithm highlights
possible areas of concern to radiologist.
4.
BI-RADS Classification of Breast Imaging
Category
Assessment
Recommendation
0
Incomplete
Need additional imaging or
prior studies for comparison
1
Negative
Resume routine screening
mammography
2
Benign
Resume routine screening
mammography
3
Probably
Benign
Risk <2%; short term
interval follow-up at 6m
4
Suspicious
Abnormality
Immediate risk; biopsy
5
Highly
Suggestive of Malignancy
Chance >95%; Treat
appropriately
6
Known
(proven) Malignancy
Treatment
Notes
Method of biopsy should be percutaneous core needle biopsy if
possible
Pathologic and radiologic findings should then be correlated; if
discordant evaluate further
BIRADS 5 with benign path should
still be excised
- any lesion with discordant radiology and path should be excised.
Clinically suspicious lesions in patients with normal mammogram and
ultrasound should also undergo biopsy. Role of Other Imaging Tools
1. USS
Focused USS has an established screening role
- characterizes palpable or scree-detected lesions and directs
biopsy.
1. All patients with palpable abnormality and normal mammogram
should have an uSS
2. Increasingly used to further characterise lesions on MRI
USS is best tool to detect cystic from solid.
USS malignancies appear:
- taller than wide
- irregular shape
- ill-defined margins
- posterior acoustic shadowing
- hypoechoigenicity
- increased vascularity.
Microcalcifications are not usually seen, but can evaluate area of
mammographic calcification for a mass. 3. Role in Screening? Increases detection at cost of increased benign biopsy.
Additional 1-7 cancers per 1000 women.
May improve detection of early breast cancer in the moderately
increased risk group who do not currently meet criteria for MRI.
2. MRI
American Cancer Society guidelines for MRI use suggest annual MRI
for:
1. Very high risk patients (Evidence-based)
- BRCA mutation
- Untested 1st degree relative of BRCA carrier
- Lifetime risk ~20-25% or greater
2. Recommended (Consensus opinion)
- chest radiation at age 10-30y
- Li-Fraumini
- Cowden and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba
3. Molecular Breast Imaging
Scintimammography (Tc99)
Promising and feasible testing tool, using two plates, may improve
pick up beyond mammography.
4. High-Risk Screening
Online risk prediction tools can be used to quantify risk.
What about Men?
Men with known genetic risk mutation need screening (ie BRCA)
Monthly BSE, clinical exam, annual mammography