Impact of mammography on breast surgery in a small community hospital.
The impact of mammography on breast surgery at a small community hospital was evaluated by comparing the stage of cancer at diagnosis in a 5 year period before mammography with that in a 5 year period after its introduction. During both periods approximately the same number and stage of palpable carcinomas were diagnosed and treated. However, in the 5 year period after introduction of mammography, in addition to the 35 palpable carcinomas 11 additional nonpalpable occult carcinomas were diagnosed. These 11, with an average size of 8 mm and all in patients with negative nodes, would fit into the category of minimal breast cancer, which is associated with a 10 year disease-free interval of over 90 percent.
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D010173:Palpation