The effectiveness of a mobile mammography units in breast cancer screening

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of death in the female population. Screening studies are conducted in order to detect the disease at an early stage. At the same time, domestic authors emphasize the lack of alternatives to preventive mammography in breast cancer screening and the prospects of using mobile mammographs for early diagnosis of breast cancer and precancerous breast diseases.

Aim. To evaluat the results of the use of mobile mammography units for active and early detection of breast cancer.

Materials and methods. The research uses methods of content analysis, information and analytical materials of Russian and foreign researchers, and forms of federal statistical observation. Statistical research methods were used to analyze the data obtained.

Results. Regression analysis with a very low probability of error (p = 0.001) showed that the larger the total volume of mammographic studies with preventive purposes in the subjects of the Russian Federation, the higher the proportion of cases of active detection of breast cancer, although this relationship is rather weak. Taking into account the obtained value of R2 (0.192), only 19.2% of the increase in the proportion of breast cancer cases detected actively can be explained by an increase in the volume of preventive mammograms. The correlation analysis showed that the volumes of preventive mammograms performed using mobile devices in the subjects of the Russian Federation were not associated with either the proportion of breast cancer cases detected actively or with the proportion of breast cancer cases detected in the early stages. At the same time, it is worth noting that the obtained value of p ≥ 0.5 indicates a statistically insignificant result of evaluating the relationship between variables, the interpretation of which should be performed with caution.

Conclusion. Despite the high cost of mobile mammography units, the increase in their number in the subjects of the Russian Federation and the growth in their activities, the contribution of these diagnostic devices to solving the problem of early and active diagnosis of breast cancer remains uncertain. More promising are personalized approaches to the timely detection of cancers, including breast cancer, based on an assessment of the individual risk of their occurrence.

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