Zacharoula Sidiropoulou, Senior Consultant Breast Surgical Oncologist at Hospital São Francisco Xavier, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Sharing our latest work, Vasco Fonseca, surgical and medical synergies for Breast Cancer policymaking while we are awaiting for the MyPeBS Trial results. The “One size feets all” approach for BC needs to evolve, till then:

What Really Works in Breast Cancer Screening Across Europe:

Some of the findings from our systematic review just published in Cancers MDPI, examining the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening strategies across European countries.

Key Findings:

Biennial mammography for women aged 50-69 demonstrates exceptional value (EUR 3,000-8,000 per QALY) and should be prioritized in all European healthcare systems
MRI screening for high-risk populations (BRCA carriers, strong family history) shows solid cost-effectiveness (EUR 18,201-33,534/QALY) where resources permit

Screening under age 50 shows significantly higher costs (EUR 105,000/life-year saved) – supporting risk-stratified approaches instead of universal screening

Organized programs vastly outperform opportunistic screening – systematic call-recall systems achieve better outcomes at lower cost

Actual challenge: 74% of evidence comes from North-Western/Central Europe, with major gaps in Southern and Eastern regions.

We need more research from underrepresented areas to ensure equitable, evidence-based screening across all of Europe.

The phased implementation framework offers a roadmap for adapting screening programs to different resource settings while maintaining quality.

As European health systems face post-COVID budget constraints, our findings support focusing resources on proven, high-value interventions while pursuing innovative approaches like AI-assisted screening and risk-stratification.”

Title: A Systematic Review of the Cost-Effectiveness of Screening Modalities for Breast Cancer in European Countries