UK breast cancer screening guidelines revised

Breast cancer screening services in the UK are to be expanded to include annual check-ups for women under 50 years of age who fear they are at risk of a hereditary form of breast cancer, new guidelines state.

Currently, screening for breast cancer is carried out every three years in women aged 50 years or older, but under revised guidelines drawn up by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), those aged 40 to 49 years who are at risk of familial breast cancer will be offered mammograms each year. NICE hopes the move will offer reassurance to the many women who visit their GPs after a close family member has succumbed to the disease. “The worry caused to many women by having a history of breast cancer in their family should not be underestimated,” said clinical director of NICE Professor Peter Littlejohns. “These guidelines will go a long way to allaying fears and giving women a realistic idea of the risk they face.” The guidelines state that women will be categorised as having a low, moderate or high risk of the disease, depending on which family members have developed breast cancer. For each stage, a care plan will be formulated, which could include GP support, annual mammograms, genetic screening, the offer of preventative breast removal and counselling. Commenting on the move, Professor Stephen Duffy, from Cancer Research UK, said: “Up to now, screening of women under 50 with a strong family history of breast cancer has been sporadic and varies from region to region. “The guidelines will help standardise risk assessment, reassure women whose family history is not strong enough to confer serious risk and provide annual mammography for those who need it.”(Source: Breast cancer source: June 2004)