Breast Cancer Screening of 13,791 Women by Physical Examination and Mammography

ABSTRACT

This study is to clarify the efficacy of breast cancer screening by physical examination and mammography and to compare the diagnostic outcome of breast cancers detected by screeening with that of breast cancers found at out-patient clinic. Between March 1995 and July 1996, A total of 13,791 women were screeened for breast cancer annually by physical examination and mammography at Samsung Cheil Hospital Breast Center and 20 breast cancers were detected. In the same period, another 166 breast cancers were found at out-patient clinic. These two groups of breast cancers were analyzed and compared. Of those 13,791 screened women, the recall rate for further examination was 9.8%(n=1,350) and the biopsy rate was 1.06%(n=146) respectively. Twenty breast cancers were detected so that the breast cancer detection rate was 0.15%. T-stages of screened group were T0;25%, T1;55%, T2;15% and T3;5%, while those of out-patient clinic cases were T0;4.8%, T1;43.4%, T2;44.6%, T3;7.2%.(p<0.05). Axillary lymph node metastasis was negative in 80% of screened group but in 59% of out-patient clinic cases.(p<0.05). Pathological stages of screened group were; stage0;25%, stageI;40%, stageII;35% and those of out-patient clinic cases were stage0;4.8%, stageI;24%, stageII;56%, stageIII;14.4%, stageIV;1.2%(p<0.05). Early breast cancers were significantly more frequent in the patients detected by screening at breast center than those of out-patient cilinic cases. The breast conservation surgery was done in 40% of screened group but only in 12.7% of out-patient clinic cases(P=0.00029).This study indicated that the efficacy of breast cancer screening by physical examination and mammography was significant for the early detection of breast cancers.