Improved breast cancer survival following introduction of an organized mammography screening program among both screened and unscreened women: a population-based cohort study

IntroductionMammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality through earlier diagnosis but may convey further benefit if screening is associated with optimized treatment through multidisciplinary medical care. In Norway, a national mammography screening program was introduced among women aged 50 to 69 years during 1995/6 to 2004.

Also during this time, multidisciplinary breast cancer care units were implemented.

Methods: We constructed three cohorts of breast cancer patients: 1) the pre-program group comprising women diagnosed and treated before mammography screening began in their county of residence, 2) the post-program group comprising women diagnosed and treated through multidisciplinary breast cancer care units in their county but before they had been invited to mammography screening; and 3) the screening group comprising women diagnosed and treated after invitation to screening. We calculated Kaplan-Meier plots and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.

Results: We studied 41,833 women with breast cancer.

The nine-year breast cancer-specific survival rate was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.65 to 0.67) in the pre-program group; 0.72 (95%CI: 0.70 to 0.74) in the post-program group; and 0.84 (95%CI: 0.80 to 0.88) in the screening group. In multivariable analyses, the risk of death from breast cancer was 14% lower in the post-program group than in the pre-program group (hazard ratio 0.86; (95%CI: 0.78 to 0.95, P=0.003)).

Conclusions: After 9 years follow-up, at least 33% of the improved survival is attributable to improved breast cancer management through multidisciplinary medical care.

Author: Mette KalagerTor HaldorsenMichael BretthauerGeir HoffSteinar ThoresenHans-Olov Adami
Credits/Source: Breast Cancer Research 2009, 11:R44

Published on: 2009-07-03

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Comments Page 1 of 1

sera

Posted 926 days ago

Hi, I was just curious to know more about mammography. Is it really a better option than mastectomy or chemotherapy??
Breast cancer is very difficult to identify in the early stages. Does mammography really identify the cancer at an early stage? While I was searching for more articles, I came across this article which says that mammograms found only three tumors and missed 10 (http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-currents/new-s creening-technology-catches-cancer-better-than-mam mograms)
Sera

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