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Cytology is useful in breast screening: results and long‐term follow‐up of the Singapore Breast Screening Pilot Project
Author(s) -
Chew I.,
Tan Y.,
Tan P. H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1365-2303
pISSN - 0956-5507
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2303.2006.00328.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , breast cancer screening , mammography , cohort , biopsy , breast screening , fine needle aspiration cytology , cancer , radiology , gynecology , obstetrics
Objective: The Singapore Breast Screening Pilot Project (SBSPP) was embarked upon (1994–1997) to determine if mammography was useful in early breast cancer detection among Asian women. Patients and measurements: Of 28 231 women screened, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed in 232 individuals as part of the triple assessment. Results: Absolute and complete sensitivities for the diagnosis of carcinoma were 46.7% and 82.2%, respectively, based on the results of FNAC. Specificity was 63.3%. The inadequate rate was 31%. Five women who were considered cancer‐free on triple assessment and, in two cases open diagnostic biopsy during the SBSPP, subsequently developed breast cancer after a median follow‐up of 6 years. Conclusion: Although our FNAC results compared relatively well with international standards, they reflect a small cohort, and may face additional difficulties in a larger programme.