Sozial- und Präventivmedizin

, Volume 38, Issue 5, pp 280–287 | Cite as

Preliminary results of primary screening for breast cancer with the Mama Program

  • Gisela Gästrin
Article

Summary

In 1972 a comprehensive BSE screening strategy for the early detection of breast cancer, the “Mama Program Screening” (MPS), was developed in Finland by the author on the initiative of women's organizations. The program consists of a) initial information about the facilities of the program and BSE-performance, b) prospective surveillance of the BSE-behaviour of complying women, who use a specially designed Mama calendar for regular notes on their BSE behaviour and c) a pre-organized system for women with self-identified anomalies in the breasts to self-refer to physicians in public health care. From 1973 to 1975 an MPS project was carried out in Finland with 56 000 exposed women. Compliance to BSE-performance of once a month increased from 2% prior to the enrolment to 55% and resulted in 2% of self-referrers. In the compliers, mortality from breast cancer was reduced overall by 29%, the screening being effective in all age groups, also in those under 50 years. The MPS was easy and inexpensive to implement in existing public health care systems with the information material developed for the study and with physicians in PHC facilities.

Keywords

Breast Cancer Public Health Care Public Health Care System Frais Prospective Surveillance 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Résumé

Depuis 1972, l'auteur a développé en Finlande un programme de dépistage précoce pour le cancer du sein (Mama program Screening ou MPS) à l'initiative des organisations de femmes. Le MPS comporte les parties suivantes: a) information initiale sur l'ensemble du programme, instruction de l'auto-examen du sein, b) contrôle du comportement des femmes qui pratiquent l'auto-examen selon un calendrier spécialement conçu, c) un système permettant aux femmes qui, au cours de l'auto-examen, ont découvert des anomalies, d'aller vers un médecin. Entre 1973 et 1975, un projet de MPS a été réalisé en Finlande avec la participation de 56 000 femmes. La compliance concernant l'auto-examen des seins allait de 2% avant le projet à 54%, et seulement 2% avaient besoin de s'adresser au médecin. Dans ce groupe-ci la mortalité totale a été diminuée de 29%, également chez les femmes de moins de 50 ans. En utilisant le matériel d'information développé pour cette étude, le «Mama Program Screening» ou «MPS» a été introduit dans les services de Santé Publique déjà existants, d'une manière facile et à peu de frais.

Zusammenfassung

Im Jahre 1972 wurde in Finnland aufgrund einer Initiative von Frauenorganisationen von der Autorin ein Screening Programm zur Frühentdeckung von Brustkrebs entwickelt, das “Mama Program Screening” (MPS). Das MPS besteht aus folgenden Teilen: a) erste Information über das Gesamtprogramm und die Brustselbstuntersuchung, b) einem eigens dafür entworfenen Mama-Kalender, der den teilnehmenden Frauen die Überwachung ihrer Brustselbstuntersuchungen erlaubt, c) ein System, in welchem die screening-positiven Fälle sich an einen Arzt im normalen Gesundheitswesen wenden können, falls sie Veränderungen in den Brüsten erkennen. Ein Projekt wurde 1973–1955 in Finnland mit 56 000 Frauen durchgeführt. Danach stieg die Teilnahme an einer regelmässigen BSU von 2% von der Exposition auf 54%; nurmehr etwa 2% aller Frauen brauchten den Arzt. In dieser Gruppe von Frauen reduzierte sich die Brustkrebssterblichkeit insgesamt in allen Altersgruppen um 29%, was auch für die Bevölkerung unter 50 Jahren gilt. Unter Anwendung des in der Studie angewandten Informationsmaterials konnte das Mama Programm mit wenigen Kosten in das normale Gesundheitswesen eingeführt werden.

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Copyright information

© Birkhäuser Verlag 1993

Authors and Affiliations

  • Gisela Gästrin
    • 1
  1. 1.ProMama SocietyVantaaFinland

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