title: Breast cancer risk and early diagnosis applications in Turkish women aged 50 and over.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to determine breast cancer risk and early diagnosis applications in women aged ≥50.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, descriptive field study focused on a population of 4,815 in Mansurog?lu with a 55.1% participation rate in screening. In the study, body mass index (BMI) was also evaluated in the calculation of breast cancer risk by the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRA) (also called the "Gail Risk Assessment Tool") . The interviewers had a three-hour training provided by the researchers, during which interactive training methods were used and applications were supported with role-plays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the women participating in the study was 60.1±8.80. Of these women, 57.3% were in the 50-59 age group, 71.7% were married, 57.3% were primary school graduates and 61.7% were housewives. Breast-cancer development rate was 7.4% in the women participating in the study. When they were evaluated according to their relationship with those with breast cancer, it was determined that 73.0% of them had first- degree relatives with breast cancer. According to the assessment based on the Gail method, the women's breast cancer development risk within the next 5 years was 17.6%, whereas their calculated lifetime risk was found to be as low as 0.2%. Statistically significant differences (P=0.000) were determined between performing BSE - CBE and socio-demographic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was determined that 17.6% of the participants had breast cancer risk. There was no statistically significant difference between the women with and without breast cancer risk in terms of early diagnosis practices, which can be regarded as a remarkable finding. It was planned to provide training about the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer for people with high-risk scores, and to conduct population-based breast cancer screening programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Ege University Izmir Ataturk School of Health, Izmir, Turkey E-mail : gulengul.s.mermer@ege.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceber
authors.forename: Gulengul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mermer
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Okcin
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Mahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demireloz
authors.forename: Aysun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eksioglu
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ogce
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: Gulsun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozenturk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014930:Women