Russian specialists have significantly increased the effectiveness of mammographic screening through new diagnostic methods. With the use of digital tomosynthesis and contrast-enhanced mammography, this indicator reaches 94–95%, said radiologist Sergey Prokopenko.
According to him, conventional mammography already allows for the detection of a significant portion of tumors in their early stages. For women aged 40 to 49, the sensitivity of the examination during the first visit is 80–85%, and after 50 years, it reaches 90%.
At the same time, additional technologies allow for an increase in diagnostic effectiveness by approximately another 4–5 percentage points.
Progress is happening before our eyes: previously, the detection rate of initial forms did not exceed 60 percent, but today, thanks to quality screening and technical re-equipment, we have achieved tremendous results.
According to the radiologist, the share of early-stage breast cancer detection in Russia has reached 76.2%, and including preclinical forms, it exceeds 80%. For comparison, in the data he cited, the figure is 64% in the USA, 70% in the UK, and 69% in Germany.
The technology is also important because breast cancer develops gradually. Therefore, the goal of screening is not only to detect an already formed tumor but also to find changes at a stage when the disease can still be detected and treated much earlier.
During X-ray examination, specialists can also notice microcalcifications smaller than 3 mm, after which the patient is referred for additional procedures, including vacuum biopsy, if necessary.