2008 Volume 17 Issue 1 Pages 77-82
We consider that inclusion of mammography is preferable for breast cancer screening in women attending for “human dock”check-ups. Since 2000, we have been performing breast cancer screening that includes mammography. Since the introduction of mammography, over 400 women have undergone screening for breast cancer every year. The rate of additional examinations has also decreased year by year, and recently has leveled off at about 10% or less. The breast cancer detection rate averages 0.47%, and our approach for screening is considered to be efficient. As a result of our efforts to improve quality, a rate almost equivalent to the national average has been achieved. However, the detection rate for early-stage breast cancer is low, at 25%, even taking into consideration the fact that there are many first-time attendees, and therefore our results in this respect must be considered inadequate.
Since it is thought that the number of breast cancers detected will increase from now on, screening according to age and the combined use of mammography and ultrasonography will need to be considered. We are therefore recruiting ultrasound technicians in order to improve quality further.
