title: [Evaluation on the effect of intervention regarding breast self-examination for decreasing breast cancer mortality].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A randomized trial of breast self-examination (BSE) Program was carried out to evaluate whether the intensive BSE could reduce the number of deaths among women from breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 266 064 women (age of 30 to 64 years) associated with 519 textile factories in Shanghai had been randomly assigned to a BSE group (132 979 women) or a control group (133 085 women) since 1989. Initial instruction in BSE group would include demonstration of proper palpation techniques and was followed by 2 reinforcement sessions during the subsequent 4 years including video shows, BSE instruction sessions and BSE practice under medical supervision. These activities were continued for 5 years. Attendance at all events was recorded. The cohort was followed through July 2000 for development of breast diseases, and the breast cancer cases were followed through 2001 for vital status. Data analysis methods used would include Kaplan-Meier plots, log-rank test and Cox modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among women under instruction, 864 breast cancers detected and 133 breast cancer deaths occurred while 896 breast cancers were detected and 130 deaths recorded in the control group. The tumor size (P = 0.07), TNM stage (P = 0.39) and cumulative breast cancer mortality rate (P = 0.72) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. However, more and smaller fibroadenomas were detected in the instruction group than in the control group (P< 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensive instruction in BSE did not seem to have reduced the mortality rate of breast cancer, but more and smaller benign breast lumps could be detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Zhongshan Hospital Branch, Fudan University, Shanghai 200052, China.
authors.forename: Dao-li
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yong-wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Wen-wan
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fan-liang
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lei-da
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Ling-di
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic