Screening is performed on women aged 45 to 65. Women in this age group are invited for screening every 2 years. Mammograms of the screened women are looked at and evaluated by two physicians independently. Patients are informed on the findings by post. If the result of the screening is negative, the patient has to take no further action and will only get a new invitation two years later. On the basis of the findings of the first screening, about 3-5% of the women are called back for a so-called “clarification” exam. This does not mean that they have a disease; it simply means that in their case physicians consider it necessary to perform supplementary examinations. In most cases “clarification” exams do not show any abnormality either; in 2% of the cases (in about 30-40 patients a year), however, supplementary exams also yield positive results.
Diagnostic mammography
This examination is available for any woman possessing a referral from her physician for having complaints. This means it is not for women “invited” for screening but for women arriving with a referral from a territory outside the one provided care to by the Kenézy Hospital. These women are examined on spot, and they get the results of the supplementary ultrasound examination not by post, but on paper right after the exam. Taking part in screening and early diagnosis are extremely important as the chance of recovery after small tumors is around 95%. The staff at Kenézy Hospital performs about 150-200 breast surgeries a year for breast tumor identified during screening and diagnostic mammography. We also provide 30-50 surgical interventions a year for benign lesions. When a lesion is found - whether the lesion was detected during screening or diagnostic mammography - the patient needs to undergo a full diagnostic examination including biopsy as well. (Biopsy refers to the extraction of sample tissues for microscopic examination. This procedure is only done when any benign or malign lesion has been detected in the breast.) When knowing the result, the onco/breast team meeting once a week will make a therapeutic recommendation to the patient present at the meeting. The breast team will include a radiologist, a cytologist, a pathologist, a surgeon, and an oncologist. This is important not only in terms of therapy choice but also for the mental support of the patient (at the meeting the patient meets the surgeon and the oncologist he/she will be treated by). After the preoperative phase and the operation the patient will be provided care by a postoperative team.