Ces radiol. 2011, 65(4):272-278

Comparison of women's mortality of breast cancer identified in the screening and diagnostic examinationsOriginal article

Alena Bílková¹, Marie Zemanová¹, Václav Janík¹, Jana Vránová²

¹ Radiodiagnostická klinika 3. LF UK a FNKV

² Ústav lékařské biofyziky a lékařské informatiky 3. LF UK

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed major cancer among women. In the Czech Republic it is found in 20% of women suffering with cancer. Annually, about 5.000 women ill with breast cancer and around 1900 women die. Nationwide breast cancer screening has been introduced in 2002 in Czech Republic and there was expected that it should increase the proportion of lower stage cancers and reduce the mortality of women with breast cancer. The introduction of screening has shown that despite the rising incidence of breast cancer, mortality did not increase, rather stagnated or slightly decreased.

Aim: To evaluate the group of patients with breast cancer identified in the screening and diagnostic examinations, whether screening can reduce the mortality of women of breast cancer.

Method: During the period from January 2003 to December 2009 in the Faculty Hospital Královské Vinohrady in Prague there were total found 476 breast cancers in 466 women. In the screening group of patients diagnosed with breast cancer were enrolled 160 women with 161 breast cancers. One patient had at the time of diagnosis bilateral carcinoma. To the diagnostic group were included 181 women with breast cancer, with a total of 186 tumours. Bilateral breast cancer was diagnosed in 5 women in the period. Mammography, ultrasound and core-cut biopsy from breast tissue were used in all patients with the breast cancer. In both groups of patients was also evaluated the average size of diagnosed tumors and statisticly was evalueted the mortality of breast cancer.

Results: The average size of a malignant tumor in the screening group was 15.3mms and 25.4 mm in the diagnostic group. During more than 7 years of monitoring, 3 women from the screening group (160 women) died of breast cancer. In the diagnostic group (181 women) 13 women died of breast cancer. A comparison of screening and diagnostic group was confirmed statistically significantly lower mortality rate in the screening group than in the diagnostic group.

Conclusion: During more than 7 years old follow up of patients with breast cancer has been shown that breast cancer screening can reduce mortality of breast cancer. Achieved results support the continuation of breast cancer screening program in the Czech Republic.

Keywords: breast cancer, screening and diagnostic mammography, mortality of breast cancer

Grants and funding:

Tato práce byla vytvořena za podpory grantu IGA UP č. LF_2011_007.

Accepted: March 15, 2011; Published: December 1, 2011  Show citation