Examination of Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Detection by Modalities and Age Groups

• Published in: Journal of Japan Association of Breast Cancer Screening Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 281 - 285
• Main Authors: Tsunoda-Shimizu, Hiroko, Tohno, Eriko, Ueno, Ei, Aiyoshi, Yuji, Yashiro, Tom, Hara, Naoto, Morishima, Isamu, Itai, Yuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan Association of Breast Cancer Screening 1998
• Subjects: breast cancer; breast mass screening; breast ultrasound; detection modality by age group; mammography
• ISSN: 0918-0729; 1882-6873
• DOI: 10.3804/jjabcs.7.281

The effectiveness of mammography screening has been proven in women aged 50 years or more ; however, this is not yet proven for women in their forties. We studied which modality was most effective for detection of breast cancer in different age groups. The subjects were 135 women with breast cancer who had been treated at Tsukuba University Hospital or Kinu Medical Association Hospital over the previous two years. All underwent three examinations : palpation (PALP), mammography (MMG), and breast ultrasound (US) at each hospital. Of the 135 patients, 53% were 50 years old or over, and 31.6% were in their forties. T1 breast cancer accounted for 53 of the 135 cases. When Tl breast cancer was the target of screening, all except one of the cancers in women aged 50 years or older were detectable by PALP and MMG combined, which is now being planned for mass screening. However, for those in their forties, this combination detected only 77.8% of T 1 breast cancers. The combination of PALP and US detected all cancers in women in their forties, and 96.9% in women aged 50 years or older. It is difficult to select the best screening modality from these results, because we were concerned only with detectability. Our results justify the combination of PALP and MMG for women aged 50 years or older ; however, the same method should not be applied to those in their forties. Flexible and meticulous consolidation is needed for women in their forties.