[Screening for breast cancer]

On the "why", "whom" and "how" of breast screening for carcinoma, the following answers can be provided: Why? As there is no primary prevention, secondary prevention by early diagnosis is the only way to reduce breast cancer mortality. On the other hand, breast cancers discovered by screening can be conservatively treated more often than when they become symptomatic; this is especially important in young patients. For whom? Every woman over the age of 35-40 should be accepted for breast cancer screening. In countries such as Switzerland it is unthinkable to impose screening or even to send personal invitations for screening to the population. Only repeated information through newspapers, TV and conferences will induce women to come for screening. The costs would be paid for by the patient, as medical insurances do not cover this type of preventive medicine. How? Only screening through mammography with or without breast palpation, performed by paramedical personnel, can be considered, because of the cost. It should be done outside the senologic consultation setup for symptomatic patients where a doctor is in charge of the clinical consultation. As Doctor Van der Linde said at the end of his talk at the last Convention of the Swiss Senology Society in Lausanne, pilot projects for breast screening in Switzerland should be started. The Swiss Cancer Society has lately created a commission for early detection of breast cancer to study ways of launching a project.