Targeted breast cancer screening in women younger than 40: results from a statewide program

Background: Our state Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) has previously reported a paucity of data supporting breast screening for asymptomatic women younger than 40 (cancer detection rate of .25% per screening-year). In partnership with the local Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, we began a targeted "screening" program to evaluate women younger than 40 referred for symptoms or other concerns. Methods: Retrospective data review of program results, including demographics, symptoms, evaluations performed, and outcomes. Results: A total of 176 women, ages 16 to 39 years, were referred to the BCCP/Komen program. Of the women with documented presenting symptoms, the most common was breast lump (81%). Evaluation triggered 75 surgical referrals and 69 biopsies, yielding 16 cancers (a biopsy positive rate of 23% and overall cancer detection rate from the program of 9%). Conclusions: For women younger than age 40, targeted breast cancer screening is a more efficient utilization of screening resources, with a higher cancer detection rate than asymptomatic screening.