Breast Cancer: Screening

(asked on 22nd March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 1 March (HL6395), what assessment they have made of the number of women who (1) have undergone a formal cancer risk assessment, and (2) have been identified as having dense breasts.


Answered by
Lord Kamall Portrait
Lord Kamall
This question was answered on 20th April 2022

No specific assessment has been made as there is currently no formal cancer risk assessment for all women. However, the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme identifies those in the population with an increased risk of developing this cancer. Breast density is not currently identified during screening.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is aware that breast density is related to these risks and will review evidence to risk-stratify women when it becomes available. In England, there are several trials ongoing designed to assess the efficacy of risk-stratifying women into categories and offering differing screening modalities, chemoprevention and screening intervals to determine whether personalised screening protocols would benefit women in England. If found to be efficacious, the UK NSC will determine if the research provides conclusive evidence to recommend changes to the breast screening pathway.

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