Is “mobile mammography” a Relevant Method in France?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Oncology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• France has offered organized breast cancer screening since 2004, performing approximately 2.45 million mammograms annually.
• The national screening participation rate in 2012 was 52.7%, significantly below the European target of 70%.
• Mobile mammography screening programs have been implemented in three French departments to address participation gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and identify challenges of mobile mammography screening programs in France.
• To understand factors contributing to lower-than-average participation rates in mobile screening initiatives.
• To inform future strategies for improving breast cancer screening coverage.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of participation rates and follow-up data for mobile versus fixed breast cancer screening sites.
• Identification of financial and technical obstacles associated with mobile mammography programs.
• Comparison of patient dropout rates between mobile and fixed screening settings.

Main Results:

• Mobile mammography screening programs in France did not achieve higher participation rates than the national average.
• Mobile screening is associated with significant financial and technical obstacles.
• The rate of subjects lost to follow-up was substantially higher in mobile screening (11.4%) compared to fixed sites (2.7%).

Conclusions:

• Mobile mammography programs face considerable challenges that limit their effectiveness in increasing screening participation.
• Financial and organizational obstacles must be thoroughly assessed and addressed before implementing mobile mammography initiatives.
• Strategies to improve breast cancer screening rates require careful planning, considering the limitations observed in mobile screening models.