by University of Warwick

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A five-year study, called Mammo-50, that followed women aged 50 and older with a breast cancer diagnosis and surgery has been published in The Lancet. This research shows that follow-up surveillance with less frequent mammograms puts the patients at no greater risk and could reduce the stress of waiting for results.

Led by Professor Janet Dunn, Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, The University of Warwick and sponsored by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, the Mammo-50 trial is the first major study to investigate the safest, most effective monitoring of women after surgery. Focusing on women aged 50 with early-stage breast cancer (that has not spread beyond breast tissue or local lymph nodes), the trial followed their progress across 114 NHS hospitals over five years.

Three years after breast surgery, 5,235 women who were cancer-free at the point of enrolling in the study, were invited to either yearly or less-frequent mammograms (every two years for patients who had a lumpectomy and every three years for patients who had a mastectomy). The results show there is no difference between the groups of patients in terms of their breast cancer reoccurring or their survival.

Professor Janet Dunn said, "Less frequent mammographic surveillance decreases the inconvenience for women having to undergo unnecessary mammograms, reducing the associated stress of waiting for results while also reducing the strain on the NHS."

Different cancer centers offer different forms of follow-up, with no gold-standard guidelines for monitoring women post-surgery. Mammo-50 is the first major study to look at this and present evidence that could be used to amend guidelines on mammographic surveillance for this patient group. Less frequent mammograms have the potential to reduce NHS costs and workload, and reduce stress for patients waiting for scan results.

UHCW Consultant Breast Surgeon Mr. Hamed Khan said, "At UHCW we are committed to providing the best care for our patients based on evidence."

Mr. Peter Donnelly, surgical lead investigator, says, "Mammography remains a key part of breast cancer survivorship, which includes confidence in self-examination, healthy lifestyle, adherence to hormone blocking therapy and easy access to professional support."

Professor Andy Evans, radiological lead investigator, says, "The reduction in mammograms has a substantial impact on radiological services. The results of the trial should be implemented into clinical practice as there is no reason to continue to perform annual mammograms for these patients."

Margaret Grayson, independent patient on the oversight committee and member of Independent Cancer Patients' Voice, says, "This is great news for patients as it reduces the visits to hospital and scans needed while still monitoring patients in an optimal way."

More information: Janet A Dunn et al, Annual versus less frequent mammographic surveillance in people with breast cancer aged 50 years and older in the UK (Mammo-50): a multicentre, randomised, phase 3, non-inferiority trial, The Lancet (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02715-6

Journal information: The Lancet 

Provided by University of Warwick