Breast cancer screening

NOI Forum – Statistical mammography screening audit in practice for 2023

On October 17, we organized the 2nd NOI Forum “Statistical mammography screening audit in practice for 2023” with the participation of over 120 people in the premises of the MoH SR.

Slovak and Czech experts, mainly radiologists, reviewed mammography screening statistical data. Our honored guest, leading Czech radiologist, professor Jan Daneš, presented his lecture “21 years of breast cancer screening in the Czech Republic”. He finds the journey of breast cancer screening in Slovakia to have taken a huge leap since its initiation in 2019.

In 2023, 261 malignancies were detected at certified mammography screening facilities, with the detection rate of 5 cases per 1,000 exams.

Yesterday’s event marked a special occasion – signing of the NOI Forum Declaration 2024 by the participants, requesting a coordinated and politically supported common effort in order to improve the quality and efficiency of mammography screening in the SR, increase the number of screening exams, improve their accessibility and adequate procedures according to European recommendations.

We believe that thanks to gradual broadening of the certified mammography screening facility network in Slovakia (currently there are 23) and better accessibility more and more women will come to screening mammography. There was a 32.2% participation rate in 2023 (30% in 2022). The screening is deemed successful when the participation rate reaches 70%.

NOI Forum also included awards for the 5 best facilities:
(* Facilities are sorted in alphabetical order, not according to their outcomes.)

• 2nd Radiology Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University and Saint Elizabeth Cancer Institute in Bratislava
• Teaching Hospital Trnava
• Jessenius – Diagnostic Center a.s., Nitra
• MRI, s.r.o., Trnava
• SNP Central Military Hospital Ružomberok – teaching hospital

NOI Forum – Statistical mammography screening audit in practice for 2022

On October 19, 2023, there was a conference which signaled a breakthrough within cancer screening programs because it was the very first conference dedicated to cancer screenings after their initiation in the form of organized programs in 2019. Breast cancer mammography screening emphasizes the quality of certified mammography facilities which perform the screening. An inseparable aspect of this quality is internal and external audit and thorough processing and provision of screening data. We would like to thank the Ministry of Health who is the supervisor of cancer screening programs and oversees the Screening Committee, an advisory body for the Ministry of Health, as well as working groups for individual screening programs, including data and media group. Within the mammography screening, an important role belongs to the Expert Working Group for Quality Assurance of Mammography Facilities of the MoH SR Committee for Quality Assurance in Radiodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, which works hard to certify and recertify screening mammography facilities. Equal thanks go to expert teams at certified mammography facilities which provide quality mammography screening. The conference brought contributions from Slovak and Czech experts who are very well informed about the topic.

Breast cancer is one of the most frequent malignant diseases of women worldwide as for incidence and mortality. According to the last published yearbook of incidence of oncological diseases, there were 2,800 new cases in Slovakia in 2011, of which almost 30% were locally advanced and metastatic. In general, there are varying recommendations for breast cancer screening. The majority of official population screening programs recommend to start a mammography screening at 50 years of age. The set recommendations for mammography screening are evidence-based and take into account the best risk-benefit ratio. This is the basis for choice of screening method and age group for an organized, controlled and coordinated population-wide mammography screening program. Certification of facilities where it is possible to undergo the screening is also part of the program. Their list is regularly updated at MoH SR website. You can find a link to it on NOI website under List of facilities. Population-wide mammography screening by invitation started in Slovakia in September 2019. The invitations were sent by health insurance companies to women aged 50 to 69 according to a precise set of criteria. The most important task at hand is to extend the network of certified facilities performing screening mammography examinations which need to adhere to a precisely determined quality specifications including regular quality assessment. It is important that women undergo their screening mammography examination at these certified facilities.