Sloane Project

The Sloane Project is a Public Health England (PHE) funded audit of screen-detected ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), lobular in situ neoplasia (LISN) and atypical hyperplasias of the breast, set up in collaboration with the Association of Breast Surgery.

The main aim of the Sloane Project is to gain a greater understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes of screen detected breast carcinoma in situ and atypical hyperplasia to enable patients and health care professionals to make more informed choices regarding treatment options in the future.

The first phase of the project ran from 1st April 2003 to 31st March 2012 and collected data on DCIS, LISN and ADH. The second phase commenced on 1st April 2012 with a focus on risk lesions and atypia (LISN, ADH, Pleomorphic LCIS (PLCIS), and Flat Epithelial Atypia (FEA)). Patients with DCIS are no longer accrued to the study, although we continue to collect outcome data for all Sloane Project patients entered.

All breast screening services are invited to submit their cases. All data collection forms are available on the Sloane Project website and are straightforward to complete, as in many cases the women will either have one surgical operation or will have no surgical procedure and core/mammotome only. Guidance for identifying and submitting these cases is also available on the website.

Project management and data analyses are provided by Karen Clements and Bridget Hilton at PHE Birmingham, led by Olive Kearins. The project is overseen by a steering group, made up of clinicians, academics, management staff and a patient advocate.The Chair is Prof Alastair Thompson, Olga Keith Wiess Chair of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas/University of Dundee/Imperial College London

The audit has collected comprehensive data on the radiological and pathological features, treatment and follow-up data on over 15,000 patients since it began in April 2003 making it the largest dataset of its kind in the world. Results from the audit have already had an impact on the diagnosis and management of DCIS in the UK and internationally.

For further information about the Sloane Project please visit the website or contact Karen Clements, Bridget Hilton or Joanne Dulson-Cox at phe.sloaneproject@nhs.net.