RecruitingInterventional

Artificial intelligence to help healthcare professionals detect cancer in the UK breast screening programme

The EDITH study is exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can assist NHS experts in checking mammograms for signs of breast cancer. Breast screening is an important way to find cancer early. This study will involve around 660,000 women across the UK. Some will have their mammograms checked by two NHS experts, which is the current standard. Others will have their mammograms looked at by AI as well, to see if it helps spot cancers. The study aims to find out if combining AI with human expertise can improve how well we detect breast cancer and if it offers good value for money. This could lead to better breast screening for women in the future.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Enrolment target

660,000

Start

01 May 2026

Estimated completion

30 Nov 2028

Breast cancer

What is this study about?

The EDITH study is an important project looking into whether artificial intelligence (AI) can help make breast screening even better. Breast screening involves having a mammogram, which is a special X-ray of your breasts, to look for early signs of cancer. Currently, two trained NHS experts carefully check these mammograms.

This study wants to see if AI, which is computer technology that can learn and spot patterns, can support these experts. The researchers will compare how well cancers are found when AI is used alongside human experts, versus when only human experts are involved. They will try out two different ways AI could help: sometimes AI will check images after the human expert to see if anything was missed, and other times AI will have a first look to flag areas that might be a higher risk. Ultimately, all decisions about whether something is cancer will still be made by human experts.

The main goal is to find out if using AI can improve our ability to detect breast cancer earlier. This could lead to better outcomes for women. The study will also look at the costs and benefits of using AI in this way, to see if it's a good approach for the NHS to adopt more widely in the future.

Key takeaways

The study explores if AI can improve breast cancer detection in screening.
It compares AI-assisted screening to standard human checks.
Around 660,000 women will be involved across the UK.
Participation involves your routine screening, no extra appointments.
AI might slightly increase callbacks for reassuring extra checks.
All final decisions about cancer are made by human experts.

Who may be eligible?

You might be able to take part in this study if you are a woman who is invited for routine NHS breast screening at one of the participating centres. This usually means you are between 50 and 70 years old, but it includes anyone getting screened, even if outside this age range.

Even if the AI can't read your mammograms (for example, due to breast implants), you'll still be included in the study. In these cases, your mammograms will be checked by two human experts, as is standard practice.

You won't be able to take part if you are screened through special high-risk programmes because of a strong family history or other reasons, as these programmes work differently from standard screening. Also, if you choose not to be part of the study after receiving your invitation, that's perfectly fine.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a woman invited for routine NHS breast screening?
Is your screening happening at a participating centre?
Are you NOT part of a specialist high-risk breast screening programme?
Are you okay with possibly being called back for extra checks if AI flags something?
Have you received your screening invitation and not opted out of the study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you take part in the EDITH study, it will be part of your routine breast screening appointment. You won't need any extra visits or special assessments just for the study itself, beyond your normal mammogram. What will be different is how your mammogram images are checked. Some participants will have their images read by two human experts as usual, while for others, AI will also be used to help check the images.

After your screening, the study team will follow your health for about four years through your regular screening results and cancer registries. This helps them see if any cancers develop in the future and understand how effective the different screening methods were. You won't need to do anything extra during this follow-up period; it's all done by looking at existing health records.

Potential risks and benefits

There's a potential benefit to taking part because some studies suggest AI might help find more cancers. This research aims to collect information that could improve future breast screening for all women. However, using AI might mean more women are asked to come back for extra tests because AI can sometimes highlight more areas as potentially concerning, even if they're not cancer. This can be worrying, but remember that most extra tests show no problems. All mammograms use a small amount of radiation, which carries a very tiny risk over many years. For most participants, this risk is the same whether they're in the study or not. If you are called back for extra tests because of AI that you might not otherwise have had, these tests will involve slightly more radiation, but the overall risk from this additional exposure is extremely small. You are always free to decide not to take part in the study, and your routine care will not be affected.

Locations (21)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Barts Health NHS Trust
City only
London, England
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Cambridge, England
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Cheltenham, England
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
City only
London, England
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Exeter, England
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Unverified
Leeds, England
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Unverified
Westcliff-on-sea, England
North Bristol NHS Trust
Unverified
Bristol, England
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
Unverified
Hartlepool, England
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Unverified
Oxford, England
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Unverified
Smethwick, England
St George's Hospital
Unverified
London, England

Common questions

What is AI and how does it help?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It's a computer program that can learn to spot patterns in mammograms, helping human experts look for signs of breast cancer.

Will my information be kept private?

Yes, all your health information and screening results will be handled with strict confidentiality and privacy, just like your usual NHS records.

Do I have to do anything differently for this study?

No, you don't need to do anything extra. You'll simply attend your routine breast screening appointment as usual. The difference is how your mammogram images are checked.

What if I get called back for more tests?

Being called back for more tests is often part of the screening process. It means the experts want a closer look. In most cases, these further tests show there's no cancer.

Who is paying for this study?

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which is a key part of the UK's health research system.

How to find out more

Amy Hopkins

edith@warwick.ac.uk +44 (0)24 7615 1912 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.