[Mammographic screening in the municipality of Copenhagen 1991-1997. Evaluation of the preoperative assessment].
BACKGROUND
A biennial mammography screening programme started for all women aged 50-69 in the municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 1991. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of the preoperative diagnostic assessment for women recalled for further examination. Quality indicators were: validity of the fine-needle aspiration cytology, rate of malignant to benign surgery, and frequency of one-step surgery for malignant lesions.


METHODS
Database registries during the first three screening rounds from April 1991 to March 1997 were studied retrospectively, for fine-needle aspiration cytology tests where surgical biopsy was also performed.


RESULTS
In the period 1991-1997, 4,111 women were recalled for clinical mammography and subsequently 1,086 women underwent surgery. The use of the triple test in the preoperative assessment increased from 50% in the first screening round to 72% in the third. Throughout the period of evaluation, the number of inadequate fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was reduced from 32% to 6%. Inadequate FNAC from malignant lesions declined from 27% to 6%. The sensitivity of FNAC increased from 67% to 90% and the accuracy from 60% to 81%. The malignant/benign ratio of surgery rose from 1.4 in the first screening round to 2.8 in the third. One-step surgery as definitive treatment was performed in 67% of malignant instances.


CONCLUSIONS
The preoperative diagnostic assessment improved during the evaluation period. The triple test was used more often over time, the validity of FNAC and the malignant/benign ratio of surgery increased.
Christensen
Lone Bech
LB
Patologiafdelingen, diagnostisk center, H:S Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 København ø.
Rank
Fritz E
FE
Blichert-Toft
Mogens
M
Christiansen
Terkel
T
Jørgensen
Torben
T
Dunn
Susanne
S
Jensen
Lis Bording
LB
Vejborg
Ilse M M
IM
Tange
Ulla Brix
UB
Mouridsen
Henning
H
Lynge
Elsebeth
E
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000592:standards*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies