Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program

Abstract Purpose Despite the controversy surrounding the role of clinical breast exam (CBE) in modern breast cancer screening, it is widely practiced. We examined the contribution of CBE in women undergoing routine screening mammography and in women under the screening age. Methods A retrospective c...

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Main Authors: Tehillah S. Menes, Dan Coster, Daniel Coster, Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-10-01
Series:BMC Women's Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01507-x
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author Tehillah S. Menes
Dan Coster
Daniel Coster
Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty
author_facet Tehillah S. Menes
Dan Coster
Daniel Coster
Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty
author_sort Tehillah S. Menes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Purpose Despite the controversy surrounding the role of clinical breast exam (CBE) in modern breast cancer screening, it is widely practiced. We examined the contribution of CBE in women undergoing routine screening mammography and in women under the screening age. Methods A retrospective cohort study including all women participating in a voluntary health screening program between 2007 and 2016. All participants undergo CBE; Screening mammography is done selectively based on age, breast imaging history and insurance coverage. Data collected included demographics, risk factors, previous imaging, and findings on CBE and mammography. Cancer detection rates within 3 months of the visit were calculated separately for women undergoing routine screening mammography, and women under the screening age. Results There were 14,857 CBE completed in 8378; women; 7% were abnormal. Within 3 months of the visit, 35 breast cancers (2.4 per 1000 visits) were diagnosed. In women within the screening age who completed a mammogram less than one year prior to the visit (N = 1898), 4 cancers (2.1 cancers per 1000 visits) were diagnosed. Only one was diagnosed in a woman with an abnormal CBE, suggesting that the cancer detection rate of CBE in women undergoing regular screening is very low (0.5 per 1000 visits). In women under the screening age (45), 3 cancers (0.4 per 1000 visits) were diagnosed; all were visualized on mammography, one had an abnormal CBE. Conclusions The contribution of CBE to cancer detection in women undergoing routine screening and in women under the screening age is rare.
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spelling doaj.art-0d828cc5f8f2479cae5e7065136f1a9e2022-12-21T17:34:21ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742021-10-012111810.1186/s12905-021-01507-xContribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening programTehillah S. Menes0Dan Coster1Daniel Coster2Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty3Department of Surgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical CenterSackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv UniversityJoyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevSackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv UniversityAbstract Purpose Despite the controversy surrounding the role of clinical breast exam (CBE) in modern breast cancer screening, it is widely practiced. We examined the contribution of CBE in women undergoing routine screening mammography and in women under the screening age. Methods A retrospective cohort study including all women participating in a voluntary health screening program between 2007 and 2016. All participants undergo CBE; Screening mammography is done selectively based on age, breast imaging history and insurance coverage. Data collected included demographics, risk factors, previous imaging, and findings on CBE and mammography. Cancer detection rates within 3 months of the visit were calculated separately for women undergoing routine screening mammography, and women under the screening age. Results There were 14,857 CBE completed in 8378; women; 7% were abnormal. Within 3 months of the visit, 35 breast cancers (2.4 per 1000 visits) were diagnosed. In women within the screening age who completed a mammogram less than one year prior to the visit (N = 1898), 4 cancers (2.1 cancers per 1000 visits) were diagnosed. Only one was diagnosed in a woman with an abnormal CBE, suggesting that the cancer detection rate of CBE in women undergoing regular screening is very low (0.5 per 1000 visits). In women under the screening age (45), 3 cancers (0.4 per 1000 visits) were diagnosed; all were visualized on mammography, one had an abnormal CBE. Conclusions The contribution of CBE to cancer detection in women undergoing routine screening and in women under the screening age is rare.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01507-xBreast cancerScreeningClinical breast examMammography
spellingShingle Tehillah S. Menes
Dan Coster
Daniel Coster
Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty
Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
BMC Women's Health
Breast cancer
Screening
Clinical breast exam
Mammography
title Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
title_full Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
title_fullStr Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
title_full_unstemmed Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
title_short Contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
title_sort contribution of clinical breast exam to cancer detection in women participating in a modern screening program
topic Breast cancer
Screening
Clinical breast exam
Mammography
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01507-x
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