West Midlands Breast Screening Programme

Screening Histories

Rules for inclusion
Resident in the West Midlands at diagnosis
Aged 50-70, or up to 74 for interval cancers providing their most recent screening episode was in the last three years.
Diagnosed after the opening of their respective breast screening unit.

Methodology
Using an algorithm devised by the West Midlands Breast Screening QA Reference Centre, women are assigned to one of eight possible screening status categories. See table for the classifications used by the project.

Through collaboration with the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit (WMCIU), screen-detected cancers, which are downloaded from the National Breast Screening System (NBSS) at each of the screening units, are matched to an extract from the WMCIU’s cancer registration database which contains details of all primary breast cancers diagnosed in women eligible for breast screening. In using the algorithm, 98% of cases have been assigned a screening status. The screening status flags are then fed back to the WMCIU to be added to the cancer registration database.

This process is described in more detail in a recent publication in the Journal of Medical Screening, Vol 12. Number 4, pages 179-184. Entitled, ‘The West Midlands breast cancer screening status algorithm – methodology and use as an audit tool’.

The project has classified all eligible women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1988 and 2005, and is currently classifying women diagnosed in 2005/06. Results up to 2004/05 have been disseminated to all screening units and a named Annual Report will be published in Spring 2008.

BACK