An Examination of Five-Year Community-Based Breast Cancer Screening Results: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

Background/Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. The success of treatment is directly related to early detection. The importance of screening programs is significant in achieving early detection.This study aimed to examine the five-year community-based breast cancer screening results. Methods: The study is a retrospective descriptive study. The data were obtained by analyzing the 2018 and 2022 records of the Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening, and Education Center, where community-based screenings are conducted. According to the breast cancer screening results performed in five years, mammography results in line with BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Dated System) scoring, women's age, and the number of women screened by year were examined. Results: The rates of reaching the target population between the years 2018 and 2022 were 5.6%, 5.7%, 1.6%, 3.1%, and 7%, respectively. Over this five-year period, it was observed that 4.6% of the target population was reached on average. The number of women screened in 2020 and 2021 was lower compared to other years. The analysis of the distribution of mammography results across the years showed that the majority of reports were classified as BI-RADS 1-2 (94.7%, 95.7%, 91.5%, 93.6%, and 93.2%, respectively). A significant difference was observed in the age distribution of women based on the BI-RADS scoring (F=31.918; P<0.001). Conclusion: The rate of reaching the target population over the five-year period was found to be quite low. It is essential to enhance both the quantity and quality of awareness programs conducted by public health nurses level to increase women's participation in the screening program.