Underutilisation of breast cancer prevention medication in Australia
Courtney Macdonald,
James A. Chamberlain,
Danielle Mazza,
Roger L. Milne,
Kelly-Anne Phillips
Affiliations
Courtney Macdonald
Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
James A. Chamberlain
Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Danielle Mazza
Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Roger L. Milne
Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
Kelly-Anne Phillips
Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Corresponding author. Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett St, Victoria, 8006, Australia.
Increased implementation of proven prevention strategies is required to combat rising breast cancer incidence. We assessed use of risk reducing medication (RRMed) by Australian women at elevated breast cancer risk. Only 2.4% had ever used RRMed. Higher breast cancer risk was statistically significantly associated with use of RRMed (OR 1.82, 95%CI: 1.08–3.07, p = 0.02 for ≥30% lifetime risk compared with 16%–29% lifetime risk), but parity, education level and family history of breast cancer were not. Breast cancer prevention medications are underutilised. Efforts are needed to incorporate breast cancer risk assessment and risk management discussions into routine health assessments for women.
