Psychological impact of risk-stratified screening as part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme: multi-site non-randomised comparison of BC-Predict versus usual screening (NCT04359420)

David P French, Lorna McWilliams, Sarah Bowers, Victoria G Woof, Fiona Harrison, Helen Ruane, Alice Hendy, D Gareth Evans

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Adding risk stratification to standard screening via the NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) allows women at higher risk to be offered additional prevention and screening options. It may, however, introduce new harms such as increasing cancer worry. The present study aimed to assess whether there were differences in self-reported harms and benefits between women offered risk stratification (BC-Predict) compared to women offered standard NHSBSP, controlling for baseline values. Methods: As part of the larger PROCAS2 study (NCT04359420), 5901 women were offered standard NHSBSP or BC-Predict at the invitation to NHSBSP. Women who took up BC-Predict received 10-year risk estimates: “high” (≥8%), “above average (moderate)” (5–7.99%), “average” (2–4.99%) or “below average (low)” (<2%) risk. A subset of 662 women completed questionnaires at baseline and at 3 months (n = 511) and 6 months (n = 473). Results: State anxiety and cancer worry scores were low with no differences between women offered BC-Predict or NHSBSP. Women offered BC-Predict and informed of being at higher risk reported higher risk perceptions and cancer worry than other women, but without reaching clinical levels. Conclusions: Concerns that risk-stratified screening will produce harm due to increases in general anxiety or cancer worry are unfounded, even for women informed that they are at high risk.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1548-1558
Number of pages11
JournalBritish Journal of Cancer
Volume128
Issue number8
Early online date11 Feb 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Apr 2023

Keywords

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Anxiety/prevention & control
  • Breast
  • Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis
  • Mammography
  • Mass Screening
  • Self Report
  • State Medicine
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

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