Choice Matters: Crafting Breast Cancer Risk Tools with Young Women in Mind
For a number of years, researchers in MCHE have contributed to research on the potential use of breast cancer risk prediction in breast cancer screening. In a risk-stratified breast cancer screening programme, women would have their 10-year risk of breast cancer predicted using a combination of questionnaires, breast density measurements and genetic information.
Women predicted to be at higher risk of cancer would receive more frequent cancer screening while those predicted to be at lower risk would receive fewer screens to reduce the risk of overdiagnosis.
While risk-stratified breast cancer screening may help to catch more cancers than current practice of universal 3-yearly screening, nearly 20% of breast cancers occur in women who are too young to take part in the national screening programme. A new study named Breast CANcer Risk Assessment in Young women (BCAN-RAY), funded by Cancer Research UK, aims to explore the potential benefits and acceptability of offering women the opportunity to have their risk of breast cancer predicted between the ages of 30 and 39.
Project Overview
One project work package, led by Dr Stuart Wright and Prof Katherine Payne, aims to use a discrete choice experiment to understand the preferences of young women for design features of the risk prediction strategy and to predict potential uptake for the service in the NHS. This work package will also specifically seek to understand the preferences of women from groups who are poorly served by the current screening programme. The results of this work, combined with in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in another work package, will help to inform the design of a potential risk-prediction strategy which meets the needs of different groups of young women in the NHS.
Cancer Research UK Funding
The BCAN-RAY study is funded by Cancer Research UK as part of their commitment to improving cancer detection and prevention. The study, officially titled “A study looking at improving the risk assessment of breast cancer in young women”, is set to run from January 2024 to January 2027. It aims to develop and evaluate a breast cancer risk assessment tool for women aged 30-39, who are currently too young for the national breast screening programme.
Key aspects of the study include:
- Developing a risk prediction model for young women
- Assessing the acceptability of risk prediction among young women
- Evaluating potential implementation strategies in the NHS
- Considering the ethical implications of risk stratification in this age group
For more information about the CRUK funding and trial details, visit the official CRUK trial page.
To learn more about the BCAN-RAY study, you can check out this discussion on YouTube or visit the study homepage