A research project evaluating the effectiveness of mammographic surveillance for women under 50 with a family history of breast cancer is taking place.
A cohort of 10,000 women under the age of 50 with a significant family history of breast cancer will be given regular mammographic surveillance over five years. Comparison of surgical and pathological data with completed and on-going population screening trials will be performed to obtain an accurate estimate of breast cancer mortality reduction.
The change in health service resource use attributable to mammography will be compared with no screening and its cost effectiveness determined. The comparison with no screening will be presented in terms of the additional cost per cancer detected, per life saved and per life year saved.
Details of the study and eligibility criteria can be found on the Family History Screening study website.
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