Population Screening Act: Additional screening for women with high breast density

UMC Utrecht has applied for a permit to conduct the DENSE-2 study. This is a scientific study on additional screening using contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) or abbreviated MRI for women with high breast density in the national breast cancer screening programme. In women with high breast density it is more difficult to detect breast cancer using mammography, while these women have an increased risk of breast cancer. The DENSE-2 study aims to investigate whether additional screening leads to earlier detection of breast cancer, and fewer interval cancers and high grade breast cancers in these women.

The Health Council’s Committee on Population Screening has concluded that the proposed study is scientifically sound and the benefits outweigh the possible risks to the participants. The committee recommends that the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport grant the required permit, under the condition that the researchers omit the exclusion criterion of women who live at an address with more than four registrations with the Dutch health screening organisation (Bevolkingsonderzoek Nederland).