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Screening mammography: a missed opportunity
1Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|October 27, 1998
Summary
Alcohol detoxification units offer a unique opportunity for breast cancer screening in underserved women. While initial screening compliance was high, follow-up diagnostic tests faced resistance, though few suspicious lesions were found.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Radiology
Background:
- Breast cancer affects 1 in 10 women by age 80.
- Alcohol consumption has a complex association with breast cancer risk.
- Minority women are disproportionately underserved regarding breast cancer screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and yield of offering screening mammography to women admitted for alcohol detoxification.
- To identify potential barriers to follow-up diagnostic procedures after abnormal screening mammograms.
Main Methods:
- Screening mammography was offered to women admitted for alcohol detoxification in an urban, high-minority population setting.
- Exclusion criteria included prior breast cancer diagnosis and age over 80.
- Abnormal mammograms led to referrals for further diagnostic evaluation.
Main Results:
- Of 88 women screened, 32 (36.4%) had abnormal mammograms.
- No significant differences were found between women with normal and abnormal mammograms regarding age, alcohol consumption history, reproductive factors, or personal/family history of breast disease.
- High compliance for initial screening was observed, but resistance was noted for further diagnostic studies.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol detoxification units present a viable setting for opportunistic breast cancer screening.
- While initial screening uptake is promising, patient engagement with subsequent diagnostic steps requires further attention.
- The prevalence of detected abnormalities was not higher than anticipated, suggesting screening in this population is warranted.