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20 hours ago
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Telling women whether they have dense breasts as part of their breast cancer screening results may leave them feeling unnecessarily anxious and confused, according to a study.
Breast density refers to the level of glandular and fibrous tissue relative to fat in breasts. Dense breast tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer, and can also make mammograms more difficult to read.
Those undergoing breast screening in Australia are already told of their breast density, and the measure is being considered in the UK by the National Screening Committee (NSC).
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney and published in the BMJ, looked at data from 2,401 women who had been screened for breast cancer in Australia between September 2023 and July 2024 who were classified as having dense breasts.
Researchers then randomised the women into either the control group, who were not told of their breast density, a group who were notified of their breast density and were given written information about its implications, and a final group who were told of their breast density and given a link to an online video with information.
After eight weeks, women were surveyed about their psychological response to their results and whether they had intentions to speak to their GP or pursue additional screening.
Women who were told of their breast density were more likely to feel anxious and confused about what to do after these results than the control group, according to the analysis.
Both groups who were notified of their breast density also had significantly higher intentions to talk to their GP about their screening results, at 22.8% and 19.4%, compared with 12.9% for the control group.
The NHS breast screening programme in England does not currently include the assessment or recording of breast density on screening mammograms.
Sophie Brooks, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said that having dense breasts could make it harder to detect cancer on a mammogram, but it was not something people could check for themselves or change.
She added: “This study suggests that telling women about their breast density has mixed results. Women who were told were more likely to seek advice from their GP, but they were also more likely to feel anxious and confused, highlighting the need for clear information and support. More research is needed to investigate whether informing women about their breast density could have a positive impact or not, and the UK National Screening Committee are currently looking into this.”
Overall, the study concluded that women “notified of their dense breasts felt anxious and confused, did not feel more informed to make decisions about their breast health, and wanted to be guided by their general practitioners”.
Melanie Sturtevant, associate director of policy, evidence and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Knowing personal risk of breast cancer could allow people to make informed decisions about their own breast health. But studies like this one are really important to understand the impact of informing people about personal risk factors like breast density, including on a person’s mental health. The findings underline that learning they were higher risk left many women feeling more anxious and confused, and more likely to ask their GP for further information.
“Currently in the UK, routine screening does not involve recording information about breast density, and a review into whether additional screening should be offered to women with dense breasts is ongoing. While we appreciate the need for a strong, evidence-driven process, we want to see the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) conduct this with more urgency and transparency.”
