Should I screen for breast cancer?
The purpose of breast cancer screening is to detect breast cancer before it gives rise to symptoms, so that early treatment can be initiated. Mammography is a widely used screening tool which is an X-ray examination of the breasts.
Based on available international and local scientific evidence, the Government's Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening makes the recommendations on breast cancer screening for women at different risk profiles as follows:
Women at high risk (e.g. carriers of confirmed BRCA 1/2 gene mutations, with strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, history of receiving radiation therapy to the chest before age of 30, etc.) should seek doctor's advice for annual mammography screening and starting age for screening.
Women at moderate risk (e.g. with family history of ONLY one first-degree female relative with breast cancer diagnosed at age ≤ 50 OR two diagnosed at age > 50) should have mammography screening every 2 years.
Other women at general population in which women aged between 44 and 69 years with certain combinations of personalised risk factors putting them at increased risk of breast cancer are recommended to consider mammography screening every 2 years. A risk assessment tool for local women (e.g. one developed by The University of Hong Kong) is recommended to be used for estimating the risk of developing breast cancer with regard to the personalised risk factors including age of menarche, age of first live birth, presence of history of breast cancer among first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter), prior diagnosis of benign breast disease, body mass index (BMI) and level of physical activity.
Of note, all screening tests have their limitations and they are not 100% accurate. There are false-positive and false-negative results. All women who consider breast cancer screening should discuss with doctors on the potential benefits and harms before undergoing screening.
It is important that all women, regardless of their risk profile, should be breast aware. They should pay attention to the early symptoms of breast cancer and visit their doctors promptly if these symptoms appear. For more information on breast awareness and prevention of breast cancer, please visit: http://s.fhs.gov.hk/ovqzu