The West Midlands breast cancer screening status algorithm - methodology and use as an audit tool.
OBJECTIVE
To illustrate the ability of the West Midlands breast screening status algorithm to assign a screening status to women with malignant breast cancer, and its uses as a quality assurance and audit tool.


METHODS
Breast cancers diagnosed between the introduction of the National Health Service [NHS] Breast Screening Programme and 31 March 2001 were obtained from the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit (WMCIU). Screen-detected tumours were identified via breast screening units, and the remaining cancers were assigned to one of eight screening status categories. Multiple primaries and recurrences were excluded.


RESULTS
A screening status was assigned to 14,680 women (96% of the cohort examined), 110 cancers were not registered at the WMCIU and the cohort included 120 screen-detected recurrences.


CONCLUSIONS
The West Midlands breast screening status algorithm is a robust simple tool which can be used to derive data to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
Lawrence
Gill
G
Breast Screening QA Reference Centre, West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit, Public Health Building, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Kearins
Olive
O
O'Sullivan
Emma
E
Tappenden
Nancy
N
Wallis
Matthew
M
Walton
Jackie
J
D000465:Algorithms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013222:State Medicine