<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Background</h3>
<p>The evidence shows that risk-based strategy could be implemented to avoid unnecessary harm in mammography screening for breast cancer (BC) using age-only criterium. Our study aimed at identifying the uptake of Slovenian women to the BC risk assessment invitation and assessing the number of screening mammographies in case of risk-based screening.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Patients and methods</h3>
<p>A cross-sectional population-based study enrolled 11,898 women at the age of 50, invited to BC screening. The data on BC risk factors, including breast density from the first 3,491 study responders was collected and BC risk was assessed using the Tyrer-Cuzick algorithm (version 8) to classify women into risk groups (low, population, moderately increased, and high risk group). The number of screening mammographies according to risk stratification was simulated.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>57% (6,785) of women returned BC risk questionnaires. When stratifying 3,491 women into risk groups, 34.0% were assessed with low, 62.2% with population, 3.4% with moderately increased, and 0.4% with high 10-year BC risk. In the case of potential personalised screening, the number of screening mammographies would drop by 38.6% compared to the current screening policy.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>The study uptake showed the feasibility of risk assessment when inviting women to regular BC screening. 3.8% of Slovenian women were recognised with higher than population 10-year BC risk. According to Slovenian BC guidelines they may be screened more often. Overall, personalised screening would decrease the number of screening mammographies in Slovenia. This information is to be considered when planning the pilot and assessing the feasibility of implementing population risk-based screening.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Background
The evidence shows that risk-based strategy could be implemented to avoid unnecessary harm in mammography screening for breast cancer (BC) using age-only criterium. Our study aimed at identifying the uptake of Slovenian women to the BC risk assessment invitation and assessing the number of screening mammographies in case of risk-based screening.

Patients and methods
A cross-sectional population-based study enrolled 11,898 women at the age of 50, invited to BC screening. The data on BC risk factors, including breast density from the first 3,491 study responders was collected and BC risk was assessed using the Tyrer-Cuzick algorithm (version 8) to classify women into risk groups (low, population, moderately increased, and high risk group). The number of screening mammographies according to risk stratification was simulated.

Results
57% (6,785) of women returned BC risk questionnaires. When stratifying 3,491 women into risk groups, 34.0% were assessed with low, 62.2% with population, 3.4% with moderately increased, and 0.4% with high 10-year BC risk. In the case of potential personalised screening, the number of screening mammographies would drop by 38.6% compared to the current screening policy.

Conclusions
The study uptake showed the feasibility of risk assessment when inviting women to regular BC screening. 3.8% of Slovenian women were recognised with higher than population 10-year BC risk. According to Slovenian BC guidelines they may be screened more often. Overall, personalised screening would decrease the number of screening mammographies in Slovenia. This information is to be considered when planning the pilot and assessing the feasibility of implementing population risk-based screening.

Breast cancer risk assessment and risk distribution in 3,491 Slovenian women invited for screening at the age of 50; a population-based cross-sectional study

Sector for Cancer Screening and Clinical Genetics

Sector for Oncology Epidemiology and Cancer Registry

Radiology and Oncology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Background
The evidence shows that risk-based strategy could be implemented to avoid unnecessary harm in mammography screening for breast cancer (BC) using...

Breast cancer risk assessment and risk distribution in 3,491 Slovenian women invited for screening at the age of 50; a population-based cross-sectional study

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 04, 2023

Page range: 337 - 347

Received: Jun 01, 2023

Accepted: Jul 06, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2023-0039

Keywords
breast cancer screening, personalised screening, risk assessment, IBIS, Tyrer-Cuzick model, breast density

© 2023 Katja Jarm et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Breast cancer risk assessment and risk distribution in 3,491 Slovenian women invited for screening at the age of 50; a population-based cross-sectional study

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 04, 2023

Page range: 337 - 347

Received: Jun 01, 2023

Accepted: Jul 06, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2023-0039

Keywordsbreast cancer screening, personalised screening, risk assessment, IBIS, Tyrer-Cuzick model, breast density

© 2023 Katja Jarm et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
breast cancer screening, personalised screening, risk assessment, IBIS, Tyrer-Cuzick model, breast density