Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 2024
An abundance of laboratory-based experiments has described a vigilance decrement of reducing accuracy to detect targets with time on task, but there are few real-world studies, none of which have previously controlled the environment to control for bias. We describe accuracy in clinical practice for 360 experts who examined >1 million women's mammograms for signs of cancer, whilst controlling for potential biases. The vigilance decrement pattern was not observed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To explore how the number and type of breast cancers developed after screen detected atypia compare with the anticipated 11.3 cancers detected per 1000 women screened within one three year screening round in the United Kingdom.
Design: Observational analysis of the Sloane atypia prospective cohort in England.
Evidence-based clinical guidelines are essential to maximize patient benefit and to reduce clinical uncertainty and inconsistency in clinical practice. Gaps in the evidence base can be addressed by data acquired in routine practice. At present, there is no international consensus on management of women diagnosed with atypical lesions in breast screening programmes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To build a data set capturing the whole breast cancer screening journey from individual breast cancer screening records to outcomes and assess data quality.
Methods: Routine screening records (invitation, attendance, test results) from all 79 English NHS breast screening centres between January 1, 1988 and March 31, 2018 were linked to cancer registry (cancer characteristics and treatment) and national mortality data. Data quality was assessed using comparability, validity, timeliness, and completeness.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary change in policy was implemented in 2020. Breast screening services in England were advised to change from timed appointments to an open invitation for invitees to contact the service and arrange an appointment. This change to invitation methodology had potential benefits and risks including impacting inequalities in uptake.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The introduction of breast screening in the UK led to an increase in the detection of non-invasive breast neoplasia, predominantly ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-obligatory precursor of invasive breast cancer. The Sloane Project, a UK prospective cohort study of screen-detected non-invasive breast neoplasia, commenced in 2003 to evaluate the radiological assessment, surgical management, pathology, adjuvant therapy and outcomes for non-invasive breast neoplasia. Long-term follow-up and accurate data collection are essential to examine the clinical impact.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The diagnosis, management and prognosis of microinvasive breast carcinoma remain controversial.
Methods: We analysed the outcomes of patients with DCIS with and without microinvasion diagnosed between 2003 and 2012 within the Sloane project.
Results: Microinvasion was recorded in 521 of 11,285 patients (4.
Background And Aim: The natural history of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is poorly understood. The aim of this cohort study was to determine the outcomes of women who had no surgery for screen-detected DCIS in the 6 months following diagnosis.
Methods: English breast screening databases were retrospectively searched for women diagnosed with DCIS without invasive cancer at screening and who had no record of surgery within 6 months of diagnosis.
Introduction: The National Health Service (NHS) Breast Screening Programme aims to detect cancer earlier when treatment is more effective but can harm women by over diagnosing and overtreating cancers which would never have become symptomatic. As well as breast cancer, a spectrum of atypical epithelial proliferations (atypia) can also be detected as part of screening. This spectrum of changes, while not cancer, may mean that a woman is more likely to develop breast cancer in the future.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To assess the impact of vacuum-assisted excision (VAE) on the management of B3 lesions in the England NHS Breast Screening Programme following an update of national guidance. A secondary aim was to investigate the histological features of malignancies resulting from upgrade of B3 lesions by either VAE or surgery.
Materials And Methods: The study population was all women recalled for assessment after breast screening who had a wide-bore needle biopsy with a B3 result over the period 01/04/2018 to 31/03/2019.
Background: Women with screen-detected invasive breast cancer who have macrometastatic disease on axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) are usually offered either surgical axillary node clearance (ANC) or axillary radiotherapy. These treatments can lead to significant complications for patients. The aim of this study was to identify a group of patients who may not require completion ANC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Minimum caseload standards for professionals examining breast screening mammograms vary from 480 (US) to 5000 (Europe). We measured the relationship between the number of women's mammograms examined per year and reader performance.
Methods: We extracted routine records from the English NHS Breast Screening Programme for readers examining between 1000 and 45,000 mammograms between April 2014 and March 2017.
Objective: To evaluate the long term risks of invasive breast cancer and death from breast cancer after ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosed through breast screening.
Design: Population based observational cohort study.
Setting: Data from the NHS Breast Screening Programme and the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service.
Objective: To record how breast screening centres in England deliver all biopsy results (cancer/non-cancer) from the breast assessment visit.
Design: Online survey of 63 of 79 breast screening centres in England from all regions (East Midlands, East of England, London, North East Yorkshire & Humber, North West, South East, South West, West Midlands). The survey contained quantitative measures of frequency for telephoning biopsy results (routinely, occasionally or never) and optional qualitative free-text responses.
Introduction: One of the main harms from breast cancer screening is the anxiety caused by false positive results. Various factors may be associated with false-positive anxiety. One modifiable factor may be the method of communication used to deliver results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAttending and receiving a result from screening can be an anxious process. Using an appropriate method to deliver screening results could improve communication and reduce negative outcomes for screening attendees. Screening programmes are increasingly communicating results by letter or telephone rather than in-person.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose To report the impact of changing from screen-film mammography to digital mammography (DM) in a large organized national screening program. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected annual screening data from 2009-2010 to 2015-2016 for the 80 facilities of the English National Health Service Breast Cancer Screening Program, together with estimates of DM usage for three time periods, enabled the effect of DM to be measured in a study of 11.3 million screening episodes in women aged 45-70 years (mean age, 59 years).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Management of screen-detected ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) remains controversial.
Methods: A prospective cohort of patients with DCIS diagnosed through the UK National Health Service Breast Screening Programme (1st April 2003 to 31st March 2012) was linked to national databases and case note review to analyse patterns of care, recurrence and mortality.
Results: Screen-detected DCIS in 9938 women, with mean age of 60 years (range 46-87), was treated by mastectomy (2931) or breast conserving surgery (BCS) (7007; 70%).
Background: The natural history of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) remains uncertain. The risk factors for the development of invasive cancer in unresected DCIS are unclear.
Methods: Women diagnosed with DCIS on needle biopsy after 1997 who did not undergo surgical resection for ≥1 year after diagnosis were identified by breast centres and the cancer registry and outcomes were reviewed.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) was started in 1988 and is a large, organised cancer screening programme. It is delivered by 80 services across England and screens over 2 million women each year. As a screening programme, it must balance the detection of cancers against possible harm to women who do not have cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Interpreting screening mammograms is a difficult repetitive task that can result in missed cancers and false-positive recalls. In the United Kingdom, 2 film readers independently evaluate each mammogram to search for signs of cancer and examine digital mammograms in batches. However, a vigilance decrement (reduced detection rate with time on task) has been observed in similar settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To identify differences in the incidence of contralateral breast cancer between patients with a primary tumour diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and those with a diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).
Materials And Methods: Data from two large cancer registries (registry A & B) the Northern and Yorkshire Cancer Registry Information Service (NYCRIS) and the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit (WMCIU) from 1998-2003 for all cases of invasive breast cancer of either pure ductal or pure lobular reported histology were obtained. The invasive status of the contralateral tumour diagnosis and tumour morphology was collected.
Background: The value of screen detection and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a matter of controversy. At present, the extent to which the diagnosis and treatment of DCIS could prevent the occurrence of invasive breast cancer in the future is not clear. We sought to estimate the association between detection of DCIS at screening and invasive interval cancers subsequent to the relevant screen.
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