Abstract
METHODS
We studied survival rates up to 1-1-2005 for all consecutive breast cancer patients aged 50-69 and diagnosed in the period 1983-2002 in the area of the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (n = 4939). Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression analysis.
CONCLUSION
Although survival improved for women from each of the socio-economic strata, related to the high participation rate of the screening programme, women from lower socio-economic strata clearly benefited less from the breast cancer screening programme. That is also related to the higher prevalence of comorbidity and possibly suboptimal treatment.
RESULTS
The proportion of breast cancer patients with a low SES decreased from 22% in 1983-1990 to 14% in 1997-2002 when attendance was 85%. The proportion of newly diagnosed patients with stage III or IV disease in 1997-2002 was only 10% compared to 14% in 1991-1996 and 26% in 1983-1989 (P < 0.0001). Stage distribution improved for all socio-economic groups (P = 0.01). Survival was similar for all socio-economic groups in 1983-1990, but after the introduction of the screening programme women with low SES had lower age- and stage-adjusted survival rates (HR 2.0, 95%CI: 1.3-3.0). Survival was better for patients diagnosed in 1997-2002 compared to 1983-1990 for all socioeconomic strata; it was substantially better for the high SES group (HR 0.36, 0.2-0.5) compared to the lowest SES (HR 0.77, 0.6-1.1).
BACKGROUND
After a systematic mass mammography breast cancer screening programme was implemented between 1991 and 1996 (attendance 80%), we evaluated its impact on survival according to socioeconomic status (SES).