For over a decade, Professor Sun Qiang and his team in the Department of Breast Surgery at PUMCH dedicated to develop suitable breast cancer screening mode for Chinese women. Recently, the team published the “Guideline for Breast Cancer Screening in China”, which for the first time established the role of breast ultrasound as the primary choice and major modality of breast cancer screening for Chinese women. The guideline was compiled based on Chinese breast cancer screening evidence and tailored according to unique clinicopathological features of breast cancer in China, such as early onset and high breast density. It plays an important role in standardizing breast cancer screening modality, promoting breast cancer early detection and treatment, and improving the overall survival rate in China.

In our long-term clinical practice, there existed significant differences of disease pattern between Chinese and Caucasian women. Chinese women usually had a higher breast density and less volume with younger peak age of disease onset. These factors result in poor sensitivity of mammogram, which is thus not suitable for breast cancer screening for Chinese women. Recently, more and more experts in breast surgery, internal medicine, ultrasound and radiology supported the application of breast ultrasound in screening.

PUMCH follows the principle of using Chinese evidence-based medical research to treat diseases and solve health problems in China. Supported by National Key Technology Research and Development Program during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, Professor Sun Qiang’s team conducted a national prospective, multi-center randomized trial that enrolled 13,000 high-risk women, who were randomly assigned to mammogram, breast ultrasound, or mammogram combined with ultrasound examination. The results showed that the sensitivity and accuracy of ultrasound were significantly superior to mammogram. Taking age onset, breast density, health economics, radiation and comfort into consideration, breast ultrasound is a much more appropriate modality for breast cancer screening in China.

Photo of the panelists from the Department of Breast Surgery, the Department of Ultrasound and the Department of Radiology at PUMCH who participated in the publication of the “Guideline for Breast Cancer Screening in China”

Correspondent: Shen Songjie

Reporter: Fu Tanping

Picture courtesy: Sun Liang

Translator: Liu Haiyan

Editor: Wang Changjun and Wang Yao