Breast cancer

Effect on breast cancer mortality of a mammography screening program initiated in 1998 was assessed. Two effect estimates were obtained for each of three groups: participants, eligible women and all women of the target age group including those with prior breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: Four approaches were used: 1) observed and projected breast cancer mortality trends for 1998-2004 were compared, 2) breast cancer mortality in the first five years of the program (1998-2003) was…

The evaluation of the Programme québécois de dépistage du cancer du sein (PQDCS) is based primarily on the analysis of performance indicators as defined in the PQDCS guidelines. Methods were initially developed to measure performance indicators at the provincial level and then in individual regions. The goal of this report is to develop an approach for the measurement and comparison of performance indicators at the screening centre level.

The indicators selected to evaluate the…

Interval cancers are cancers that are diagnosed during the interval between a negative screen and the subsequent screen. The rate of interval cancers is a performance indicator in the terms of reference of the Quebec Breast Cancer Screening Program (PQDCS). The PQDCS terms of reference do not set a standard for interval cancer rates, but the Evaluation Indicators Working Group, which monitors breast cancer screening programs in Canada, has determined that the rate of interval cancers should…