The risk of developing breast cancer varies from woman to woman. This study will examine whether a breast screening programme that personalises or tailors screening timing and frequency according to woman’s risk level does more good than harm at an affordable cost to the NHS.

This study will be done in collaboration with a research group at the University College London, led by Professor Nora Pashayan. We will provide anonymised data to the UCL group and they will use mathematical models to examine how the natural course of breast cancer and the sensitivity of the mammogram vary by risk level, and to evaluate the extent of different screening strategies, which vary by screening age, frequency, and modality, reduce breast cancer deaths and overdiagnosis (diagnosis of tumour by screening that otherwise would not have presented clinically during a woman’s lifetime) and the value for money of these strategies. This will guide evidence-based recommendations on risk-tailored strategies for breast cancer. This study is funded by Breast Cancer Now.

To be able to answer this research question, we will request from Public Health England (PHE) dates and outcomes of breast cancer screening attendance of SEARCH participants. In order to do this, we would have to pass on to PHE some information (such as date of birth, NHS number) only so they can match this to their records and relay the relevant data back to us.

We will process the data, remove all person identifiable information, and then share the anonymised dataset with the UCL group. The dataset sharing is governed by a data access agreement between UCL and University of Cambridge.

The dataset will be used for only the above described purposes. This is a task in the public interest.

The dataset will be kept with the UCL group for limited time and destroyed once the study has been completed and the results published.

If you wish to leave SEARCH study or if you wish your records not linked to PHE breast screening records you can do so at any time; you do not have to give a reason. Your decision will not affect your care or treatment, or that of anyone in your family. If you leave the study, we will destroy your samples and data if you ask us to.

You can find out more about how we use your information by contacting us, Tel: (01223) 740148; Email: The SEARCH Team .

If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@admin.cam.uk . If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data in a way that is not lawful you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.