Screening Program Effective for Breast Cancer

Oregon effort helps low-income women get the checks they need

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TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- More cases of breast cancer were detected in women taking part in an Oregon breast cancer screening program than in women who weren't part of the program.

So says a study in the August issue of the Archives of Surgery.

The Oregon Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Program began in 1996 as a statewide screening program for low-income women with poor access to medical services.

In this study, Oregon Health and Science University researchers investigated women in the screening program. They evaluated 15,730 women who had a total of 23,149 mammograms and 20,396 clinical breast exams between Jan. 1, 1997, and Dec. 31, 2001.

The study found the screening program had a detection rate of 12.3 breast cancers per 1,000 women, which is greater than the rates of other screening programs. The women in this study diagnosed with breast cancer had a 97 percent rate of compliance with suggested therapies for their cancer.

"In contrast to some other SPs (screening programs), the low-income SP we report on detected a higher rate of more advanced cancers, suggesting that (at least in the initial period) such services are used for evaluation and treatment of nonoccult lesions (clearly defined breast cancers as seen on a mammogram), as well as screening," the study authors write.

More information

Here's where you can learn more about breast cancer.

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