Abstract
Background: Our 2004 survey of breast cancer survivors in the Katowice region (Poland) showed that the detection of the disease was triggered by self-examination in 58.9%, mammography in 19.2%, and clinical examination in 19.7% of cases. The purpose of the current study (2019/2020) was to determine if the implementation of national screening (mammography) in 2007 resulted in an increase of the relative contribution of mammography to detection of cancer. Methods: Subjects were 215 breast cancer patients, members of self-support groups in Katowice region. The questionnaire included questions on early detection of breast cancer, participation in screening, and socio-economic status. Results: Early detection of cancer was initiated by self-examination in 63.7%, mammography in 22.8%, clinical examination in 13.5% of subjects. Age at detection depended on the method (p < 0.001): 54.1 ± 10.8 years for self-examination, 60.0 ± 7.6 years for mammography, and 58.7 ± 10.8 years for clinical examination. Conclusions: Both in 2004 and 2020 self-examination is the most frequent method of early detection of breast cancer in the study area. The contribution of mammography remains on a low level (23%). This finding could be explained by a low participation in screening and by age of 50 years used as the entry criterion to national screening of breast cancer in Poland.
Highlights
In Poland, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women with annual (2017) age-adjusted incidence rate equaling 48.6/100,000 and mortality rate equaling 16.7/100,000 [1].The burden of the disease has not diminished over the recent decades
History of breast cancer was reported by 41% of subjects, with a first degree of relationship declared by 29.8% of subjects
The principal finding of our study is that in the study population of breast cancer survivors (Katowice Region, Poland) breast self-examination remains the most frequent method leading to the detection of breast cancer
Summary
In Poland, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women with annual (2017) age-adjusted incidence rate equaling 48.6/100,000 and mortality rate equaling 16.7/100,000 [1].The burden of the disease has not diminished over the recent decades. Our 2004 survey of breast cancer survivors in the Katowice region (Poland) showed that the detection of the disease was triggered by self-examination in 58.9%, mammography in 19.2%, and clinical examination in 19.7% of cases. Age at detection depended on the method (p < 0.001): 54.1 ± 10.8 years for self-examination, 60.0 ± 7.6 years for mammography, and 58.7 ± 10.8 years for clinical examination. Conclusions: Both in 2004 and 2020 self-examination is the most frequent method of early detection of breast cancer in the study area. The contribution of mammography remains on a low level (23%) This finding could be explained by a low participation in screening and by age of 50 years used as the entry criterion to national screening of breast cancer in Poland
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