A systematic review of interventions to improve breast cancer screening health behaviours

Whilst breast cancer screening has been implemented in many countries, uptake is often suboptimal. Consequently, several interventions targeting non-attendance behaviour have been developed. This systematic review aims to appraise the successes of interventions, identifying and comparing the specific techniques they use to modify health behaviours. A literature search (PROSPERO CRD42020212090) between January 2005 and December 2020 using PubMed, Medline, PsycInfo, EMBASE and Google Scholar was conducted. Studies which investigated patient-facing interventions to increase attendance at breast cancer screening appointments were included. Details regarding the intervention delivery, theoretical background, and contents were extracted, as was quantitative data on the impact on attendance rates, compared to control measures. Interventions were also coded using the Behavioural Change Techniques (BCT) Taxonomy. In total fifty-four studies, detailing eighty interventions, met the inclusion criteria. Only 50% of interventions reported a significant impact on screening attendance. Thirty-two different BCTs were used, with 'prompts/cues' the most commonly incorporated (77.5%), however techniques from the group 'covert learning' had the greatest pooled effect size 0.12 (95% CI 0.05-0.19, P < 0·01, I² = 91.5%). 'Problem solving' was used in the highest proportion of interventions that significantly increased screening attendance (69.0%). 70% of the interventions were developed using behavioural theories. These results show interventions aimed at increasing screening uptake are often unsuccessful. Commonly used approaches which focus upon explaining the consequences of not attending mammograms were often ineffective. Problem solving, however, has shown promise. These techniques should be investigated further, as should emerging technologies which can enable interventions to be feasibly translated at a population-level.

Improving Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Compliance Through Direct Physician Contact in a Military Treatment Facility: A Non-randomized Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION

Screening for breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC) decreases morbidity and mortality. Most interventions to improve screening rely on automated modalities or nonphysician patient contact. There is limited data on direct patient contact by a physician to encourage BC and CC screening. This non-randomized pilot study sought to evaluate the potential of direct physician contact to improve BC and CC screening rates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A Family Medicine physician telephoned patients on his panel who were due or overdue for BC and CC screening. If the patient did not answer her phone, a voicemail was left; if unable to leave a voicemail, a letter was mailed. The completion rate of recommended screening tests was measured 3 months after contact and compared to a retrospectively identified control population. The change in compliance of the patient panel over 3 months was also calculated.

RESULTS

Direct physician conversation by telephone yielded higher completion rates for BC and CC screening versus control patients, but only the CC completion rate increase was statistically significant. Direct conversation BC screening completion rate: 41.2% versus 22.7% (P = .22, n = 48). Direct conversation CC screening completion rate: 45% versus 13.9% (P = .01, n = 44). The intervention patient panel compliance with screening recommendations increased 20.5% for BC and 10.5% for CC.

CONCLUSION

Direct physician contact may be beneficial to increase compliance for more invasive screening tests.

Impact of postal correspondence letters on participation in cancer screening: a rapid review

The purpose of this rapid review was to identify and synthesize evidence on the impact of postal correspondence letters on participation in cancer screening and to determine whether impact varied by cancer site or inclusion of the participant's physician's name within the letter (i.e., physician-linked). PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for English-language systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up until October 2019. One reviewer completed citation screening and data extraction with 30% verification by a second reviewer. Systematic reviews and RCTs were appraised using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 and Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tools, respectively, by one reviewer with complete verification by a second reviewer. Findings from systematic reviews and RCTs were examined separately and presented narratively. Six systematic reviews and 18 RCTs of generally low quality were included. Evidence generally demonstrated a positive impact of a letter as compared to no letter or usual practice on screening participation. This finding was consistent for breast cancer and cervical screening participation but inconsistent for colorectal cancer screening participation. Studies comparing physician-linked letters to no letters or usual practice reported similar effect estimates as those examining letters in general. Limited and inconsistent evidence was identified on the impact of physician-linked letters as compared to non-physician-linked letters on screening participation. Evidence identified in this rapid review, and other contextual and implementation considerations, may be useful for jurisdictions considering how to promote cancer screening participation.

Generalized linear model (GLM) analysis: Multivariables of microcalcification specimens obtained via X-ray guided by stereotactic wire localization biopsy

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively explore correlation of the resected specimen volume of breast microcalcification lesions and endogenous and exogenous factors of stereotactic needle localization biopsy (SNLB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Totally 214 patients underwent SNLB for non-palpable breast lesion with microcalcification lesions. Of 211 patients, 198 patients underwent single needle localization and 13 patients underwent multi-needle localization (26 lesions). Lesion sizes, distribution characteristics, lesion localization accuracy and resected specimen volumes were recorded and analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM).

RESULTS

The average lesion diameter is 2.63±1.73 cm. The localization accuracy of 187 lesions were moderate, 26 were too deep and 11 were too superficial. The mean resected specimen volume (V) was 17.51±5.14 cm3. One-way ANOVA analysis showed that 3 factors, including lesion sizes, distribution characteristics and the localization accuracy were associated with resected specimen volume (F = 67.56-112.78, P < 0.001). GLM revealed that lesion sizes, single clustered distribution and accurate localization were significant factors for resected specimen volume (F = -4.82-11.36, P < 0.05). The ratio (%) of the resected specimen volume to the involved breast volume (V0) was defined as the degree of breast defect. The mean breast defect of 125 benign patients (V/V0) was 27.5% ranging from 10.1% to 42.3%.

CONCLUSION

Average lesion diameter and localization accuracy are highly significant variables for the resected specimen volume. Localization accuracy as a subjective controllable variable is one of the important factors that determine the volume of lesion resection. Single clustered distribution was more susceptible localization accuracy than other characteristic distributions. Improving localization accuracy can reduce resected specimen volume, which can reduce breast defect to a certain extent.

Breast screening participation and retention among immigrants and nonimmigrants in British Columbia: A population-based study

Breast cancer screening programs operate across Canada providing mammography to women in target age groups with the goal of reducing breast cancer mortality through early detection of tumors. Disparities in breast screening participation among socio‐demographic groups, including immigrants, have been reported in Canada. Our objectives were to: (1) assess breast screening participation and retention among immigrant and nonimmigrant women in British Columbia (BC), Canada; and (2) to characterize factors associated with screening among screening‐age recent immigrant women in BC. We examined 2 population‐based cohorts of women eligible for breast screening participation (537 783 women) and retention (281 052 women) using linked health and immigration data. Breast screening rates were presented according to socio‐demographic and health‐related variables stratified by birth country. Factors associated with screening among recent immigrant women were explored using Poisson regression. We observed marked variation in screening participation across birth country cohorts. Eastern European/Central Asian women showed low participation (37.9%) with rates from individual countries ranging from 35.0% to 49.0%. Participation rates for immigrant women from the most common birth countries, such as China/Macau/Hong Kong/Taiwan (45.7%), India (44.5%), the Philippines (45.9%), and South Korea (39.0%), were lower than the nonimmigrant rates (51.2%). Retention rates showed less variation by birth country; however, some disparities between immigrant and nonimmigrant groups persisted. Associations between screening indicators and study factors varied considerably across immigrant groups. Primary care physician visits were consistently positively associated with screening participation; this variable was also the only predictor associated with screening within each of the groups of recent immigrants. Our study provides unique data on both screening participation and retention among Canadian immigrant women compiled by individual country of birth. Our results are further demonstration that screening disparities exist among immigrant populations as well as in comparison with nonimmigrant women.