Interval breast cancers are cancers diagnosed after a negative mammography screening but before the next recommended screening exam. They can be linked to a poor prognosis, such as cancer that has already spread or more aggressive types of cancers.

The aim of the study was to determine if adding AI to reading mammography as a supportive tool may help in decreasing the interval cancer rate in population-based organized mammography screening programs in Germany.

Results suggest that the ProFound AI for 2D Mammography software may help detect 48% of interval cancers and 93% of subgroups that include false negatives and minimal-sign lesions.

Using the technology at the screening level could limit the number of false negatives and help detect a large proportion of the minimal sign cancers, which could ensure earlier treatment and better chances of recovery for these women, according to the company.