The Association of Breast Surgery has released new national guidelines for the care of trans and gender diverse individuals in breast services.
The guidelines were co-authored by OUTpatients, the UK’s LGBTIQ+ cancer charity, alongside the National Specialty Advisor for Breast Screening at NHS England and an expert group of clinicians from many disciplines.
Lynda Johnson, the SoR’s professional officer for clinical imaging and radiation protection, said: “The SoR is delighted to see these guidelines published. They will support service improvements for all patients and are aligned with the Society of Radiographers’ inclusive practice guidance and the guiding principles for patient, public, and practitioner partnerships developed by the College of Radiographers (CoR).
“Highlighting the importance of understanding an individual’s needs, the guidelines will help ensure everyone is treated with compassion, dignity, and respect.”
The guidelines cover the following: clinical assessment, diagnostic investigations, breast screening, breast cancer risk, genetic risk assessment, breast cancer care, systemic therapies, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, fertility preservation, cancer gene profiling, radiotherapy, and surveillance. Additionally, pathways for gender affirming chest surgery are outlined, including referral processes, surgical techniques, and recommendations for surgeons.
What are the key points?
The core principles of the guidelines reinforce the need for respect and dignity, using preferred names, pronouns and language, avoiding assumptions, and maintaining confidentiality when managing sensitive personal data.
Recognising the value of existing Association of Breast Surgery (ABS) best practice, the guidelines detail the challenges and poorer health outcomes for trans and gender diverse individuals and provide evidence-based practical solutions that can be applied to deliver compassionate and gold standard clinical assessments, diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.
Recommendations include the provision of equitable access to care through inclusive outcomes and patient information and the consideration of additional mental health support when breast symptoms intersect with gender dysphoria.
The new guidance from the ABS is available here, and is relevant to anyone working with individuals on these pathways. To see current SoR guidance on inclusive care for gender diverse individuals, read here