Addressing Health Inequalities – Developing a breast cancer risk assessment programme for young women

The project:

Our Cancer Prevention and Early Detection researchers aim to use a combination of information on a patient’s standard risk factors (age, health, family and reproductive history), a low dose mammogram (a breast X-ray containing 10 per cent of the radiation dose of a normal mammogram used in the NHS Breast Screening Programme) for breast density assessment, and a saliva sample, to assess genetic risk.

Together, this would enable them to identify high-risk women who could then be offered enhanced screening and prevention services.

There is evidence to suggest that women from ethnic minorities are less likely to engage with early detection initiatives such as breast screening, and present with later stage cancers which are harder to treat. Therefore, researchers approached VOCAL for support arranging a public involvement group to inform study protocol development.

After presenting the research to BRAG  (the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Research Advisory Group)., one member Ehinor Otaigbe, CEO of Wonderfully Made Woman) brought together a group of Black African Caribbean women at her community centre, where members suggested recruitment strategies to engage BAME communities.

A researcher perspective:

The identification of young women at increased risk of breast cancer, in the absence of a family history, is a vital step towards reducing the unacceptable death rates from this disease.

BRAG act as a bridge linking researchers with BAME communities. The group’s involvement will prove invaluable in engaging a variety of ethnic backgrounds in our research to reduce health inequalities. “This in turn will ensure the development of a breast cancer risk assessment that is more widely acceptable and accessible.