Promotion of breast self-examination in South Australia. A short-term evaluation

In early October 1982, a campaign was launched in South Australia to encourage women to practice breast self-examination. A study of data from the State Cancer Registry was conducted to determine the impact of the campaign on the detection rate, the patient-survival rate and the extent of the tumour at the time of diagnosis. In the three months after the launch, 30% more cancer cases were detected than expected from the numbers presenting during similar periods in previous years. The increase was 53% for women under 50 years of age and 21% for older subjects. There is an indication that tumours diagnosed in the three months after the launch of the campaign were diagnosed earlier than those presenting in corresponding periods in earlier years. The proportion of cases with four or more affected nodes at diagnosis was substantially reduced. The slight differences in tumour diameter and one-year patient survival were also consistent with earlier diagnosis.