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What we know
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| What we know | ||||||
| The breast screening
programme began in 1988 and achieved national coverage in 1990.
Breast screening involves the use of low dose X-ray of the breast
(mammography) to detect small cancers in previously asymptomatic
women. The programme of breast screening involves the offer of screening,
initial screening, further assessment and treatment if necessary
and counselling. An important aspect of the breast screening programme
is the education of the public about the availability of presymptomatic
screening and its purpose. For more information on breast cancer, please go to the breast cancer section. |
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| What information do we have about the Eastern Board area? | ||||||
| In 2004, 134 women died from breast cancer in the Eastern Board area. Since 1991 the death rate for breast cancer has been decreasing. The rates fluctuate from year to year, because of the small numbers of deaths, but the trend is downwards. According to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, there is an increase in the cases of breast cancer being diagnosed per year in Northern Ireland. Survival, however, has improved, leading to fewer deaths from breast cancer. The reasons for this are complex, but the increase in incidence coincided with the introduction of mammography screening. This probably allowed more cases to be diagnosed at an earlier stage. Survival from breast cancer, as with most other cancers is better if the condition is diagnosed as early as possible. In 2004/05 over 19,000 women in the Eastern
Board area were invited for screening through the Northern Ireland
Breast Screening Programme. Of these, almost 14,000 women were screened,
accounting for a 70.9% uptake rate in the Eastern Board. While these
numbers are encouraging, the Eastern Board area has a lower uptake
rate than the other Board areas. |
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| What is the result of this on our health locally? | ||||||
| The outlook (prognosis) for patients with cancer is better if the cancer is detected as early as possible. In the case of breast cancer women are advised to conduct breast self-examination to detect any change in the breast or any lumps that occur. Many of these are not cancerous, but a check up is advisable. For women in the 50 to 64 age group, the Northern Ireland Screening Programme will issue an invitation to attend for a mammogram every three years. A mammogram is a special X-ray of the breast tissue and is able to select those women who require further examination to determine whether they might have cancer. For further information on breast cancer, please refer to the Breast Cancer section of this website. While presymptomatic screening for breast
cancer has been successful in reducing mortality among study populations,
the ultimate test of its efficacy is in the impact it makes on the
disease in a general population. It is too early to assess the effect
of the national breast cancer screening programme in the population
of Northern Ireland. |
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| Policies | ||||||
| Following the Forrest Report, published in 1986, the Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme commenced screening in 1989 offering screening to women aged 50 to 64 years. The quality assurance system was set up, backed by a Departmental circular, HC (89) 6, which laid responsibility for quality assurance at regional level. The Pritchard Report (1989) set out the quality assurance guidelines for the radiology aspects of mammography used for breast screening. These guidelines have been steadily built upon and the Northern Ireland Breast Screening programme adopts the guidelines and policies of the National Screening Committee as closely as possible. |
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| What is happening in the Eastern Board area? | ||||||
| The aim of the breast screening programme is to reduce the mortality in the target age group (50 - 64 years old). Breast screening does not prevent cancer but does identify the cancer at an early stage when treatment can be more effective. The staff in the Screening Centre send out an invitation to all eligible women every three years. All women who are registered with a General Medical Practitioner are included. |
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For further information on this topic please contact us at publichealth@ehssb.n-i.nhs.uk Eastern Health and Social Services Board Champion
House, 12-22 Linenhall Street, Belfast BT2 8BS Telephone: (028)
9032 1313 Fax: (028) 9055 3681 Text Phone:(028) 9032 4980 Website:
www.ehssb.org
E-mail: pr@ehssb.n-i.nhs.uk |
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