1. The communication of benign biopsy results in breast cancer screening
- Introduction: current and background
Siân Williamson
University of Warwick
@SianDoesScience

2. The NHS Breast Screening Programme
Early detection at a population level
Triennial invitation: women years old
Mammogram
Diagnostic tests – core needle biopsy
What the screening programme is
How the process works: triennial invitation, mammogram (what a mammo is) then recall for further tests (what these are)
MDT

3. Most are given the all clear Some are recalled
Benign result
Cancer is found
Most are given the all clear
Some are recalled
Of the 41 called back…
Every time 1,000 women are screened… 41
959 8 33
Benign (means no cancer e.g. false positive).
Use diagram to explain.
63,000 women were given FPs last year.

4. Communication of results
Telephone results
Gold-standard = face to face
Current practice
Policy identified as key area: why.
Unpublished survey of all screening centres: current practice.
17.1% of the centres never deliver results over the telephone. However, 42% of centres occasionally deliver benign results over the telephone and 40.7% of centres deliver them routinely. This means that 82.7% of centres are delivering benign biopsy results over the telephone, despite current best practice guidelines.
GAP between practice and policy

5. Patient outcomes Anxiety Up to 3 years Understanding
Need for reassurance
Preferences
Convenience
Cost
Speed
However, very little research has focused on the impact that the method of communication itself may have at an individual level.
So what do we know so far about patient outcomes in screening?
Benign results cause anxiety.
Some women misunderstand their benign results.
What do women themselves prefer?

6. Aim
To explore patient anxiety, understanding of results and communication preferences in relation to telephone and face-t0-face delivery.
The results will be used to inform NHS Breast Screening Programme policy and best practice guidelines.
Aim
The aim of this project is to explore patient understanding, anxiety and preferences in relation to different communication methods in the delivery of benign biopsy results. The results of this study will be used to inform policy for the NHS Breast Screening Programme, making a recommendation about benign biopsy results should be delivered.

7. 4. Qualitative telephone interviews
Proposed method
1. Systematic review
1. Centre survey
What is the current communication practice for delivering results in UK Breast Screening centres?
2. Time 1: assessment clinic survey
Communication preferences
Baseline anxiety score
Demographic information
4. Qualitative telephone interviews
What factors are involved in forming communication preferences?
5. Time 3 & 4: Three month/six month follow-up survey
Anxiety score
3. Time 2: after results survey
Method of communication received
Length of time since results
Understanding score
Talk through method

8. Siân Williamson University of Warwick @SianDoesScience
Thanks for your time.