Mass Screening for Early Detection of Breast Cancer Conducted in Miyagi Prefecture

• Published in: Journal of Japan Association of Breast Cancer Screening Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 17 - 22
• Main Authors: Yoshida, Kohichi, Shiiba, Ken-ichi, Matsuno, Seiki, Takeda, Tetsutaroh, Kimura, Michio, Ohuchi, Noriaki, Ohuchi, Akio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan Association of Breast Cancer Screening 1996
• Subjects: cytologic examination; early breast cancer; mass screening; screening mammography
• ISSN: 0918-0729; 1882-6873
• DOI: 10.3804/jjabcs.5.17

Since 1977, mass screening for early detection of breast cancer has been conducted in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. We have achieved a detection rate of approximately 0.1% by means of physical examination and cytologic studies of nipple discharge. Twenty-four cases (40%) of T0 cancer that had not been detected by physical examination were detected by cytologic examination alone. In 1989, to improve the detection rate of early breast cancer, a trial of mass screening combined with mammography was carried out in women aged over 50. Breast cancer was found in 35 subjects with a detection rate of 0.28% by screening mammography. In contrast, a rate of only 0.09% was obtained without mammography. A higher detection rate (73%) for early breast cancer was obtained in the group screened by mammography than in that (39%) without mammography. These results suggest that screening mammography with physical examination in women aged over 50 can reduce the number of cases of so-called interval cancer.