Quality control in mammographic breast cancer screening in Brazil

the Barretos Cancer Hospital experience

Abstract

Mammographic screening has the potential to reduce the stage at diagnosis, and thus reduce mortality from breast cancer. Each program should be connected to reference departments in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The results of a mammographic screening program can be evaluated by means of indicators of quality, previously described by experts such as the guidelines of the European Breast Cancer Network (EBCN). Part of the indicators proposed by EBCN could be properly analyzed in women with breast cancer detected by the mammographic screening program of Barretos Cancer Hospital. The intention was to detect problems, evaluate results, and propose improvements to the program. Some of these indicators, including those related to the diagnosis, pathologic analysis and surgical treatment, are described in this article, and are aligned to the recommended by EBCN. These results reflect the quality of a tertiary breast surgery department dedicated to the multidisciplinary approach of breast cancer. However, the time intervals need to be adapted to the national reality, most likely due to the brazilian social aspects. Some key points were mentioned, in order to assist future screening programs in developing countries to outline the analysis of their quality program.