DBT screening reduces false alarms at no cost of missing cancers
New BCSC study reveals that DBT screening reduces false alarms at no cost of missing cancers
Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for women with a family history of breast cancer
New BCSC study reveals that DBT screening reduces false alarms at no cost of missing cancers
A BCSC-University of Sydney collaborative study published on May 22 in JAMA oncology here found that screening with DBT results in fewer screening-related harms than digital mammography (DM) for women with a family history of breast cancer. Led by Dr. Tong Li, PhD, from the University of Sydney, researchers found that DBT significantly reduced recall rates and increased specificity in women with a family history of breast cancer, compared to DM.
The study subdivided women by breast density and found that DBT screening reduced rates of advanced cancers in women with a family history of breast cancer and with extremely dense breasts, suggesting more aggressive (or potentially larger) tumors are found at an earlier stage.
Key findings include:
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DBT screening reduced recall rates from 101 to 86 per 1,000 screens, —meaning 15 fewer women per 1,000 were called back for unnecessary follow-up tests, while cancer detection rates were maintained.
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The most benefit of DBT was seen among women with one first-degree relative with breast cancer, scattered fibroglandular breast density, aged under 40 or 60–69 years, and those undergoing repeat (not initial) screening rounds.
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DBT screening had a higher proportion of screen-detected early-stage, invasive cancers with favorable prognostic features.
This study offers evidence that DBT may be a better screening option for women with a family history of breast cancer.
Li T, Su YR, Lee JM, O'Meara ES, Miglioretti DL, Kerlikowske K, Henderson L, Houssami N. Tomosynthesis vs Digital Mammography Screening in Women with a Family History of Breast Cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2025 May 22:e251209. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.1209. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40402477; PMCID: PMC12100508. [link]
The full article can be found here
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