| Abstract [eng] |
Background. Breast cancer remains the most common oncological disease and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among women worldwide. When diagnosed at an early stage, breast cancer can be successfully treated and the five-year survival rate in early stages is approximately twice as high compared to advanced stages. For this reason, screening mammography is an important public health measure aimed at detecting precancerous changes and early-stage asymptomatic tumors. Aim. The aim of this study is to review the meaning, process, advantages and disadvantages of breast cancer. Methods. The literature review was conducted using the PubMed, Cochrane library, Scopus databases, as well as by searching for information on the official websites of WHO, VUSL NVC, ECIS, ESMO, EUSOBI and GLOBOCAN. Most of the selected articles were published within the past 10 years. Results. The analysis of the literature showed that screening mammography enables early detection of the disease and allows for less invasive treatment, leading to a significant reduction in mortality, as well as improvement in survival and quality of life. More favorable outcomes are achieved when an organized screening model is applied compared to an opportunistic one. However, screening is associated with certain drawbacks that may arise during the performance of the mammogram, image interpretation or diagnostic process. Overdiagnosis, false-positive and false-negative results may lead to psychological stress, additional diagnostic procedures and overtreatment. Conclusion. Increasing attention to personalized screening may help optimize balance between benefits and harms, while the overall effectiveness of screening can be ensured through proper organization of the mammography process and continuous improvement of the program. |
