• Changes in demographics of women being screened
Healthcare providers are considering changing breast cancer screening policies to include younger demographics to help reduce breast cancer-related deaths and increase early detection. However, the possibility of overdiagnosis and false positives is still prevalent.
• Personalised risk-based screening

The extensive number of factors that could contribute to the risk of breast cancer include genetics, family history, polygenic risk scores and high mammographic density. Personalised risk-based screening may also identify high-risk women for more intensive screening such as MRI follow-up after mammography; alternatively, low-risk women may be more suited to longer intervals between screenings, which also reduces the risk of false positives through over-screening.
• Use of multimodality imaging for breast cancer screening
Movement toward risk-based screening is likely to encourage the use of multimodality imaging. As women are segregated into groups, identified factors such as increased breast density are expected to facilitate supplemental screening, which is not commonly practiced today.

Breast cancer screening programmes
There continues to be a significant discrepancy across the world with regard to screening programs. Countries with large populations, like China and India for example, do not have a formal, structured approach to screening. There are also large differences in participation even in regions where formal programs exist, such as in Western Europe. In Spain, Denmark and Finland there is around 80% participation, whereas participation rates in other countries like France, the DACH region and Portugal are all significantly below the 50% mark. The European Union is attempting to increase participation and move the adoption rates to 80% or above.

Conclusion
Mammograms will continue to play a fundamental role in the detection of breast cancers, but the occurrence of false positives often leads to benign lesions being operated on. With heightened pressures for breast cancer screening programmes to account for the rising female population qualifying for mammography screening, it is crucial that the number of false positives subsequently does not rise as a result. Advanced techniques in mammography screening such as artificial intelligence, tomosynthesis guided biopsy, contrast enhanced spectral mammography as well as a more personalised approach to breast cancer screening are initiatives that could help reduce the number of false negatives or positives and drive more accurate early detection of breast cancer.

About the author: Bhvita Jani is a senior market analyst at Signify Research, an independent supplier of market intelligence and consultancy to the global healthcare technology industry. Its major coverage areas are healthcare IT, medical imaging and digital health. Clients include technology vendors, healthcare providers and payers, management consultants and investors. Signify Research is headquartered in Cranfield, U.K. To find out more visit www.signifyresearch.net

Back to HCB News

Business Affairs Homepage