Profile of the BREATHE cohort for risk-based breast screening in Singapore

The BREAst screening Tailored for HEr (BREATHE) study was established to pilot a personalised, risk-based breast cancer screening programme for a multi-ethnic Asian population. Between October 2021 and December 2023, 4592 women aged 35-59 were enrolled (73% response rate). Follow-up from February 2022 to June 2024 included 4112 participants (8.6% loss to follow-up). Data collected encompassed demographics, lifestyle factors, reproductive risks, breast cancer awareness, screening behaviours, programme satisfaction, mammography outcomes (density and recall status), and genotype data. Above-average breast cancer risk increased with age: 2% in women aged 35-39, 31% in 40-49, and 42% in 50-59. Findings suggests that women valued the knowledge of their breast cancer risk and were motivated to attend mammography. The BREATHE study confirms the feasibility and acceptability of a personalised risk-based screening programme in a multi-ethnic Asian population, highlighting the value of tailored protocols to improve early detection and outcomes. Further details are available in the study protocol and online at https://blog.nus.edu.sg/breathe/ .