Ann Richardson1, Brian Cox, Thelma Brown, Paul Smale. 1. Department of Public Health and General Practice, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. ann.richardson@chmeds.ac.nz
Abstract
AIMS: To investigate the impact of the national breast cancer screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa, on breast cancer registrations in New Zealand. METHODS: Age-specific breast cancer incidence rates for women aged 50-64 years were compared before and after the establishment of BreastScreen Aotearoa. The degree of spread of breast cancers diagnosed at screening was compared with the degree of spread of breast cancers registered before the introduction of population screening in New Zealand. RESULTS: As expected, there was a marked increase in the age-specific incidence of breast cancer in New Zealand women aged 50-64 years in the first year of screening. There was a shift towards earlier diagnosis in women diagnosed with breast cancer at screening, compared with the diagnosis of breast cancers in women aged 50-64 registered before the introduction of population screening for breast cancer in New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: BreastScreen Aotearoa has had the expected impact on breast cancer registration for a screening programme that detects breast cancer early.
AIMS: To investigate the impact of the national breast cancer screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa, on breast cancer registrations in New Zealand. METHODS: Age-specific breast cancer incidence rates for women aged 50-64 years were compared before and after the establishment of BreastScreen Aotearoa. The degree of spread of breast cancers diagnosed at screening was compared with the degree of spread of breast cancers registered before the introduction of population screening in New Zealand. RESULTS: As expected, there was a marked increase in the age-specific incidence of breast cancer in New Zealand women aged 50-64 years in the first year of screening. There was a shift towards earlier diagnosis in women diagnosed with breast cancer at screening, compared with the diagnosis of breast cancers in women aged 50-64 registered before the introduction of population screening for breast cancer in New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: BreastScreen Aotearoa has had the expected impact on breast cancer registration for a screening programme that detects breast cancer early.