A Randomized Trial Comparing Breast Cancer Incidence and Interval Cancers after Tomosynthesis Plus Mammography versus Mammography Alone

Background: Adding digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) to digital mammography (DM) improves breast cancer screening sensitivity, but how this impacts mortality and other end points is unknown. Purpose: To compare interval and overall breast cancer incidence after screening with DBT plus DM versus DM alone. Materials and Methods: In this prospective trial (RETomo), women attending screening were randomized to one round of DBT plus DM (experimental arm) or to DM (control arm). All were then rescreened with DM after 12 months (women aged 45-49 years) or after 24 months (50-69 years). The primary outcome was interval cancer incidence. Cumulative incidence up to the subsequent screening round plus 9 months (21- and 33-month follow-up for women aged 45-49 and 50-69, respectively) was also reported. Ductal carcinomas in situ are included. Subgroup analyses by age and breast density were conducted; 95% CIs computed according to binomial distribution are reported. Results: Baseline cancer detection was higher in the DBT plu DM arm than DM arm (101 of 13 356 women vs 61 of 13 521 women; relative detection, 1.7 [95% CI: 1.2, 2.3]). The mean age +/- standard deviation for the women in both arms was 55 years +/- 7. Interval cancer incidence was similar in the two arms (21 vs 22 cancers; relative incidence, 0.97 [95% CI: 0.53, 1.8]). Cumulative incidence remained higher in the DBT plus DM arm in women over 50 (153 vs 124 cancers; relative incidence, 1.2 [95% CI: 0.99, 1.6]), while it was similar in the two arms in women aged 45-49 (36 vs 41 cancers; relative incidence, 0.89 [95% CI: 0.57, 1.4]). Conclusion: In women younger than 50 years, the benefit of early diagnosis seemed to be appreciable, while for women over age 50, the higher sensitivity of tomosynthesis plus mammography was not matched by a subsequent reduction in cancers at the next screening examination or in the intervening interval. (C) RSNA, 2022

Automated summary

The baseline cancer detection was higher in the DBT plus DM arm compared to the DM arm, but the interval cancer incidence was similar between the two groups. Cumulative incidence remained higher in women over 50 in the DBT plus DM arm, while it was similar in women aged 45-49.