Adj. Assoc Prof. Emmeline Lee
Biography:
Emmeline graduated from the University of Western Australia’s medical school. who then went on to obtain a Diploma in Obstetrics from RANZCOG before specialising in Radiology in WA. She then completed fellowships in Breast and Women’s Imaging.
She is the current Director of BreastScreenWA.
Emmeline has multiple leadership roles at RANZCR, including Chair of the Obstetric and Gynaecological Special Interest Group, Co-lead examiner for O&G and member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce. She is an adjunct Associate Professor at UWA.
Emmeline is the Expert Advisor for Obstetric Imaging for Radiopaedia.
She has received multiple awards including the Professor Turab Chakera Award for Radiology Teaching in 2014, the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine’s Sonologist of the year award in 2019 and RANZCR’s Bill Hare Travelling Fellowship 2023.
As part of her commitment to education, Emmeline is Co-Lead in Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Radiology Across Borders, and has done multiple trips supporting health professionals in developing nations.
Abstract:
Breast cancer screening in post-menopausal women represents a critical frontier in preventive healthcare, requiring sophisticated understanding of evolving technologies, risk stratification, and personalized approaches. This lecture addresses the complex landscape of contemporary breast cancer screening practices specifically tailored to the post-menopausal population at risk of breast cancer, where changing breast tissue composition and evolving risk profiles demand nuanced clinical approaches.
This lecture will begin by addressing current population screening – what is done at Breastscreen WA, and also elsewhere in Australia.
Central to the lecture is an analysis of risk factors specific to post-menopausal breast cancer, including hormonal influences, genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors, and the complex interplay between aging and cancer susceptibility. The presentation highlights the distinct challenges in this population, such as competing health priorities, medication interactions, and the balance between screening benefits and potential overdiagnosis concerns.
We will also address the paradigm shift towards personalised screening approaches, examining recent guideline updates that incorporate breast density reporting as a critical risk factor. The lecture evaluates how these developments are reshaping screening recommendations, moving beyond age-based protocols toward individualized risk assessment models that consider personal and family history, genetic markers, and breast tissue characteristics.
The final component focuses on practical implementation strategies, providing evidence-based frameworks for integrating updated screening protocols into clinical practice. This includes approaches to patient counselling about personalized risk, shared decision-making processes, and coordination with multidisciplinary teams to optimize outcomes while minimizing unnecessary interventions.
Through case-based discussions and evidence review, participants will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of post-menopausal breast screening, ultimately enhancing their ability to provide individualized, evidence-based care that improves early detection rates and patient outcomes in this critical population.