BreastCheck

BreastCheck Information for Healthcare Providers

CancerCare Manitoba Screening Guidelines (c) CancerCare Manitoba

Females aged 45 and over may have a screening mammogram every 2 years. Most trans men who have not had chest surgery and most trans women who have been on gender-affirming hormone therapy for at least 5 years, some non-binary and gender diverse people may also be screened for breast cancer every 2 years.

See the BreastCheck Screening Guidelines (pdf) for more detail. 

Mammogram images are read by a radiologist the same or next day. Results are either normal or abnormal. In addition to the breast cancer screening result, the radiologist will also report the breast density category.

Normal

No abnormalities were found in the mammogram images. Approximately, 94% of BreastCheck results are normal.

BreastCheck will:

  • Review the digital images and create a report with the findings.
  • Send the breast cancer screening result (mammogram result and breast density category) letter to the client and healthcare provider within 2 weeks. The recommended interval for the next screening mammogram (one or two years) will be indicated.

Abnormal

Approximately, 6% of BreastCheck results are abnormal meaning that the mammogram image(s) showed something that the radiologist wants to examine further with follow-up test(s).

BreastCheck will:

  • Review the digital images and create a report with the findings.
  • Phone the client to notify them of their breast cancer screening result, and advise them of their follow-up diagnostic appointment within 5 days.
  • Send the breast cancer screening result (mammogram result and breast density category) letter to the client and to their healthcare provider including information on their follow-up appointment.
  • Follow-up tests

 Breast Density Category

  • Breast density is how breast tissue appears on a mammogram image. Breast tissue is made up of two types of tissue: glandular and connective (dense) tissue and fatty (non-dense) tissue. A person’s breast tissue may be called dense if they have more glandular tissue than fatty tissue. Breast density is measured by a radiologist using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Breast density categories are grouped into one of four categories (a, b, c and d).
  • To learn more about breast density, see the BreastCheck Results: Patient Discussion Guide (pdf).

Tell patients

  • You will be provided information about the test, the appointment time, and directions to access the follow-up test(s) for which you are recommended.
  • Maintain any follow-up appointments. Screening works best when you receive regular screening to monitor for any changes and attend all recommended follow-up testing appointments.
  • If you require support during this time, you can contact the Breast and Gyne Cancer Centre of Hope at 204-787-2970 or toll free at 1-866-561-1026.

Resources to support result delivery and management

Routine breast/chest cancer screening is every 2 years for most people.

Routine breast/chest cancer screening mammograms are recommended every 2 years for some people.

Trans men age 50-69:

  • who still have breast tissue (have not had top surgery).

Recommendation: Routine screening mammograms are recommended every 2 years at BreastCheck (no referral needed) or a diagnostic imaging site (doctor's referral required). 

  • who no longer have breast tissue (have had top surgery).

Recommendation: Individualized assessment is required by the patient’s healthcare provider.

Trans women age 50-69:

  • who have taken gender-affirming hormones for 5 or more years.

Recommendation: Routine screening mammograms may be considered every 2 years at BreastCheck (no doctor's referral required) or a diagnostic imaging site (doctor's referral required). 

  • who have taken gender-affirming hormones for 5 or more years and have breast implants.

Recommendation: Routine screening mammograms may be considered every 2 years at a diagnostic imaging site (doctor's referral required). 

  • who have not taken gender-affirming hormones or have taken gender-affirming hormones for less than 5 years.

Recommendation: Routine screening mammograms are not recommended. 

Transgender persons age 45-49 and 70+:

  • There is no evidence to recommend for or against screening in this population.
  • Age 45-49 and 75+: Guidelines similar to those used for trans men and trans women age 50-69 would likely apply. Informed decision-making that considers the potential benefits and potential harms of screening should be used to determine whether to screen in these age groups. 
  • Age 70-74: Guidelines used for transgender persons age 50 to 69 would likely apply.

 BreastCheck Access

  • People who are eligible for screening at BreastCheck can call BreastCheck at 1-855-952-4325 to make a screening mammogram appointment.

 

Manitoba Health Card (c) Government of Manitoba

BreastCheck sends eligible people invitation, recall, and result letters based on the address information on their Manitoba Health Card. It’s important to remind patients to maintain their Manitoba Health Card information. If a patient moves they should update their Manitoba Health Card information with Manitoba Health at https://forms.gov.mb.ca/notice-of-change/index.html or by phone at 204-786-7101, toll free 1-800-392-1207, or through the deaf access line TTY/TDD at 204-774-8618.

No referral is required for an eligible patient to participate in breast cancer screening at BreastCheck. Patients should call BreastCheck at 1-855-95-CHECK to make an appointment. Patients call the same number to make an appointment regardless of the appointment location. Interpreter services are available upon request.

Click here to view all of our BreastCheck clinics. 

In determining an individual’s breast cancer risk, the following factors are considered:

  • Age.
  • Family history of breast and ovarian cancer.
  • Personal history of lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), or atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), or breast cancer.
  • History of radiation to the chest area in childhood or young adulthood.

To identify which patients at increased risk for breast cancer, see the BreastCheck Screening Guidelines (pdf).

Under age 45

People under age 45 who are at increased risk (personal or family history factors) or symptomatic should be referred to a diagnostic imaging facility.

When a patient cannot reasonably attend a diagnostic imaging facility, the healthcare provider of a rural or remote patient age 40-44 can request that their patient be seen on the BreastCheck Mobile for the following reasons:

  • The patient has a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer (at least a 25% risk of developing breast cancer based on the Claus Model)
  • The patient has a pathological diagnosis of lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), or atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH)
  • The patient requires surveillance for a previous diagnosis of breast cancer
  • The patient requires screening for a BRCA mutation
  • The patient is a childhood or young adult cancer survivor diagnosed with cancer between 0-30 years of age who was treated with more than or equal to 10 Gy of:
    • Chest or total body radiation.
    • Upper abdominal radiation exposing breast tissue to radiation

Note:

  • The healthcare provider must complete a Manitoba Provincial Breast Imaging Requisition form (pdf) and submit to BreastCheck for review at least 4 weeks before the BreastCheck mobile clinic.
  • The BreastCheck Medical Lead will review the request for medical suitability.
  • If the request is approved by the BreastCheck Medical Lead, BreastCheck will notify the client to book an appointment. If the request is denied by the BreastCheck Medical Lead, BreastCheck will notify the referring healthcare provider.

 

History of breast cancer

Individuals with a family history of breast cancer can be seen at BreastCheck as long as they also meet BreastCheck’s eligibility criteria. At each mammogram appointment, the mammogram technologist will inquire about family history of breast and ovarian cancers. The answers provided will inform the frequency at which the client will need to be seen.

Individuals with a personal history of breast cancer require a referral by their healthcare provider to a diagnostic facility (not to BreastCheck) using the Manitoba Provincial Breast Imaging Requisition form (pdf) and refer to a diagnostic site of your choice.

To view past and upcoming education and training opportunities, click here.

To be informed of upcoming education opportunities, we invite you to sign-up for our e-news.

CancerCare Manitoba Health Educators are trained professionals in a variety of disciplines including public health, education, and marketing. They provide education to the general public, underserved community groups, and training for community educators, and healthcare providers, about:

  • Eligibility criteria for participating in breast, colorectal, or cervical cancer screening.
  • How to access the various cancer screening tests.
  • Potential benefits and harms of participating in cancer screening.
  • Education, health promotion, and recruitment strategies for cancer screening.

Contact us at [email protected] if you have questions about cancer screening, resources, health promotion in your community, or education opportunities.

Contact

BreastCheck, CancerCare Manitoba 

P: 1-855-95-CHECK (1-855-952-4325)

F: 204-788-1594

[email protected] 

Stay Informed

We only send out e-news when we have something to share. Content includes changes to screening guidelines, new technologies, and education events.