Screening for breast cancer in Ireland: the Eccles Breast Screening Programme

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Radiology

Background:

• The Eccles Breast Screening Programme, established in 1989 in Dublin, Ireland, is a population-based initiative.
• It was launched concurrently with similar programs in several European countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of mammographic screening on breast cancer morbidity and mortality in Irish women.
• To determine the feasibility and potential value of a national breast cancer screening program.

Main Methods:

• Targeted screening of women born between 1925 and 1940 in specific North Dublin, Cavan, and Monaghan areas.
• Invitation of over 29,000 women from a population register to attend screening units.
• Mammograms were administered to nearly 18,000 women in the initial screening round, achieving a 62% response rate.

Main Results:

• A total of 129 breast cancers were detected, indicating a prevalence of 7.2 cases per 1,000 women screened.
• Early-stage cancers, including 11.6% entirely intraductal and 5.4% minimally invasive, were identified.
• The proportion of intraductal cancers detected was significantly higher than in typical referral populations.

Conclusions:

• The Eccles Programme demonstrated the detection of breast cancer through mammographic screening in the targeted Irish population.
• The findings support the potential value and feasibility of implementing a national breast cancer screening program.
• A higher incidence of early-stage intraductal breast cancers was observed compared to referral settings.