What is risk-adapted breast cancer screening, as recommended by WHO?

Risk-adapted screening tailors breast cancer detection methods to a woman's individual risk factors, rather than using a one-size-fits-all age-based approach.

What were the key findings of the WISDOM trial?

The WISDOM trial, published December 12, 2025, found risk-based breast cancer screening to be feasible, acceptable, and clinically sound with comparable advanced cancer detection.

Why is traditional mammography less effective for Indian women?

Indian women are diagnosed with breast cancer younger (median age 47) than in Western countries, making traditional age-based screening less sensitive.

Home / Health / India's Cancer Screening Leap: Beyond Mammograms

India's Cancer Screening Leap: Beyond Mammograms

21 Jan

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Summary

Risk-adapted screening tailors tests to individual breast cancer risk.
WISDOM trial shows comparable cancer detection without compromising safety.
India's lower median diagnosis age makes traditional screening less effective.

India's Cancer Screening Leap: Beyond Mammograms

India has an opportunity to revolutionize breast-cancer screening by moving beyond traditional mammograms to a risk-adapted model. This approach personalizes screening based on individual risk factors like family history and breast density, rather than relying solely on age.

The WISDOM trial, which published initial results on December 12, 2025, demonstrated that risk-based screening is feasible and effective, detecting advanced cancers comparably to annual mammography while maintaining safety. Upcoming European studies will further inform implementation.

Unlike Western nations, India's median age for breast cancer diagnosis is 47, making age-based mammography less sensitive. With less than 2% of women having undergone mammograms or clinical breast exams, India's lack of a national mammography program presents a unique chance to build a tailored system.