The National Breast Screening Programme
The primary aim of a breast screening programme is to reduce both the mortality and morbidity from breast cancer through early detection and treatment of breast cancer in women who as yet do not have any symptoms of breast cancer.
The National Screening Programme is a service dedicated to normal healthy women who are breast aware and would like to take control over their well being.
Since the commencement of this programme in 2009, over 90,000 women have been invited to participate in the screening programme and over 350 cases of breast cancer have been picked up. Over the years the National Screening Programme has been gradually expanded so that it is now offered to all women between the ages of 50-66 years of age.
The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reports that women 50-69 years of age who attended mammography screening, had a reduction of breast cancer mortality of around 40%.
The main objective of the Breast Screening Programme is to find and be able to cure breast cancer at the earliest possible stage. This service provides free breast screening through mammography every three years. Women receive an invitation by post which includes an appointment for a mammogram at our unit at Lascaris Wharf, Valletta. Should the date or time not be convenient for our clients, they are strongly encouraged to contact our offices to change the appointment time.
The mammogram is a simple test which involves taking two views of each breast, one from above and one from the side of the breast. The procedure takes only a few minutes to complete and is carried out by female radiographers which are specifically trained in breast screening. The mammograms are then independently read by two different radiologists. The mammogram can detect small changes in the breast tissue which can indicate cancers which are too small to be felt on clinical examination of the breast.
In the majority of cases, no more tests are required and the result is sent by post and clients are invited to participate once again after three years. A small number of women would require further assessment and are recalled for more tests, such as ultrasound or biopsy.
It is important that women receive a balanced view of information about breast cancer screening. Some women find screening uncomfortable or even painful, but this is only for a few minutes during the test. All X-rays, including mammograms, involve having a small degree of radiation. The amount of radiation given during a mammogram is very small and unlikely to cause harm. The radiation risk associated with having a mammogram every three years is minimal and the benefits of screening and detecting a breast cancer at an early stage when it is more likely to be curable far outweigh the risk. Through regular quality assurance of our radiology system, the radiation dose given by the breast screening X-Rays is continuously monitored to make sure that it is as low as possible whilst still giving a high quality image.
Screening alone does not result in decreased mortality but timely access to treatment as well as improvements in treatment and service delivery are crucial to improved survival.
In the majority of cases, no more tests are required and the result is sent by post and clients are invited to participate once again after three years. A small number of women would require further assessment and are recalled for more tests, such as ultrasound or biopsy.