title: Benign breast diseases in breast cancer screening programs in Italy (2000-2001).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Screening mammography has been shown to be effective in reducing breast cancer mortality in several randomized clinical trials. One major side effect of screening is the diagnosis of benign breast disease (BBD), which is considered as a nonprogressive lesion, except for a small percentage of lesions considered at high risk. We present data referring to service screening programs active in Italy in 2000 and 2001 and participating in the national survey carried out by the Italian Group for Mammography Screening (GISMa).
  
  
  METHODS
  To all centers participating in the GISMa National Survey, we submitted a questionnaire regarding the service screening protocol and main indicators of performance of the local program in the years 2000 and 2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 657 detected BBD cases, registered by 23 Italian breast cancer screening centers in women 50 to 69 years of age, are included in this study. The BBD detection rate was 2.5 per 1000 at the first screening test and 1.05 per 1000 at repeated tests. The benign/malignant ratio was 0.34 at the first and 0.22 at the repeated test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of BBD occurred frequently in breast screening programs, and prognostic implications should be further investigated. Women should be individually informed at screening, and with greater detail at the moment of the recall for assessment, of the implications of BBD detection and receive the necessary, also psychological, counseling to avoid the possible harm related to breast cancer screening.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Onlus Attilia Pofferi, Pistoia, Italy. fondazionepofferi@tin.it
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perfetti
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Beniamino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brancato
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires