International Journal of Applied Science and Technology

ISSN 2221-0997 (Print), 2221-1004 (Online) 10.30845/ijast

Efficiency Indicators of Mammography in the Detection of Breast Cancer Early Stages: Exploratory Study in Mexico
Enrique Gaona, Sofía Izel Osorio, Valeria Arenas, Miguel Salvador Bernal, Samara Tzitzitlini Labra, Nelly Molina-Frechero, Jesús Gabriel Franco, Teodoro Rivera, Beatriz Alvarez

Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to analyze an indicator of the efficiency of screening mammography that is the proportion of women with breast cancer in advanced stage who had annual and biennial mammography screening before the diagnosis of breast cancer. Mammography screening aims to detect malignant breast cancer when there are no clinical signs or symptoms of breast disease, at a stage when an effective treatment can be provided and the risk of breast cancer death is reduced. A survey was conducted on 979 patients who had advanced breast cancer who received treatments at various cancer centers in Mexico City to determine personal and clinical characteristics. The survey results showed that patients age between 19 and 70 years old, it was found that 12.2% of the patients under 40 years old, and 87.8% of 40 years old and over. However, the findings show that 35% of patients had an annual and biennial screening examination; although 1% of patients had mammography screening every 3 years, 3% every four-years, and 61% of patients never attended any screening examination. In addition, results showed several personal and clinical characteristics of the patients. We can argue that the proportion of women with advanced breast cancer who had an annual and biennial mammography screening before diagnosis of breast cancer as an indicator of the efficiency of mammography facilities in countries where quality assurance programs have not been implemented, the absence of audits in mammography facilities and a small number of radiologists and medical physicist qualified in mammography. Controversial, but it is a warning of the efficiency of mammography facilities in countries that have a high rate of breast cancer mortality.

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