To analyze whether the program for breast cancer screening in the Spanish province of Segovia has increased the survival rate among the population with this disease. Secondary objective: to analyze the magnitude of this improvement at 5, 10 and 15 years of follow-up.
We performed a descriptive, retrospective study that analyzed the survival rates in 253 patients diagnosed with breast cancer by the breast cancer screening program (1992-2007), as well as survival in 312 patients, diagnosed in routine clinical practice. All patients were treated in the General Hospital of Segovia.
The survival rate in the screening group was clearly higher than that in the group diagnosed in routine clinical practice. This difference was more marked with increasing follow-up: 93%vs 78%at 5 years, 89%vs 68%at 10 years and 86%vs 56%at 15 years.
Survival has improved since the start of the screening program. This increase was especially marked in the 15 years of follow-up, representing a difference of 30%.