• Zsolt Varga, Klaudia Balog, Éva Sebő, Péter Árkosy, and Dezső Tóth.
• Department of Surgery, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary. varga.zsolt@med.unideb.hu.
• Ir J Med Sci. 2024 Feb 1; 193 (1): 576357-63.

BackgroundBreast cancer is the leading cancer in women globally. Despite decreasing mortality rates, largely due to early detection and modern treatment, the effectiveness of screening on long-term survival outcomes remains unclear.AimsThis study evaluates the 15-year survival outcomes of a national breast cancer screening program initiated in Hungary in 2002.MethodsUsing a prospectively maintained patient database, the study included individuals from the first 6 years of the program who underwent surgery for histologically confirmed breast cancer and had available follow-up information. Patients were categorized based on the method of breast cancer detection into two groups: those diagnosed during or 2 years after the population-based screening exam (Group A), and those who self-detected or sought medical attention for symptoms (Group B).ResultsOf the 309 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery, 208 were screen-detected (Group A) and 101 were symptomatic (Group B). The 15-year overall survival was 75.0% for Group A and 76.2% for Group B (p = 0.927). The 15-year disease-specific survival was 85.6% and 81.2% (p = 0.249), respectively. A statistically not significant positive trend in disease-free survival was observed in Group A (81.7% vs. 75.2%; p = 0.144).ConclusionsThe study underscores the importance of extended follow-up periods in evaluating the outcomes of breast cancer screening programs. While the screening program may not significantly enhance overall survival rates, it has demonstrated a reduction in the mastectomy rate and could potentially extend periods of disease-free survival. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse about the long-term benefits of breast cancer screening programs.© 2023. The Author(s).

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