New research provides evidence that could change the timeline of when women with a family history of breast cancer begin undergoing screening themselves.
The new data is published in Cancer—a journal of the American Cancer Society—and based on an analysis consisting of more than 300,000 women, experts concluded that the age at which a woman’s closest relative was diagnosed with breast cancer should be more strongly considered when establishing screening guidelines.
“Women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer are often advised to begin screening when they are 10 years younger than the age at which their relative was diagnosed. Evidence is lacking to determine how much earlier they should begin,” corresponding author of the paper Danielle D. Durham MPH, PhD, with the Department of Radiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues explained.
Approximately 11% of the women included in the analysis reported having a first degree relative who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Of these, 3,885 breast cancer cases were identified.
The researchers found that women who had relatives diagnosed with breast cancer between age 40 and 49, and who themselves initiated screening between age 30 and 49, had similar 5-year cumulative incidences of breast cancer as women aged 50 to 59 who did not have relatives previously diagnosed with cancer.
Women who initiated screening 5 to 8 years prior to the diagnosis age of their relatives who were diagnosed between the age of 35 and 45 had cancer incidence similar to that of an average 50-year-old woman.
Suggesting that the standard ten-year age gap screening rule might not be as beneficial as previously assumed, the researchers indicated that women with relatives diagnosed at younger ages should consider different screening criteria:
“Women with a relative diagnosed at or before age 45 may wish to consider, in consultation with their provider, initiating screening 5–8 years earlier than their relative's diagnosis age.”
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.