Ultrasound screening for breast cancer in Rijeka, Croatia in 2006

Objectives: The implementation of Croatian National Breast Cancer Early Detection Programme (created in collaboration with Croatian Senologic Society in 2003) at different levels of health care resulted, among other things, in a project of continuous ultrasound screening for breast cancer (BC) in Rijeka in 2003, supported by the county health authorities and fully implementing guidelines of the International Breast Ultrasound School (IBUS).

Methods: In 2006 413 women underwent a total of 441 examinations implementing the IBUS index of suspicion for evaluation of the findings.

Results: Nineteen women (3.39%) had IBUS index of suspicion IV (lesions suspicious for carcinoma, displaying one or two malignant criteria), 4 women (0.97%) had IBUS index V (lesions highly suspicious for carcinoma, with more than two malignant criteria), and 19 women (4.60%) had already been operated from BC, one of whom with IBUS index V being highly suspicious for relapse. Every eleventh woman (8.96%) was either operated from BC or had ultrasound finding requiring obligatory further evaluation (IBUS index IV and V). The youngest women with suspicious finding (IBUS-IV) was 32, the oldest one 75, with average age of 44. The youngest women with highly suspicious finding (IBUS-V) was 37, the oldest one 72, with average age of 58.

Conclusions: Results suggest further worsening morbidity from BC in comparison with 2004 and 2005. The implementation of the IBUS index of suspicion was useful criterion for standardised assessment and selection of the patients for further evaluation, enabling the ultrasound screening to reduce significantly late detection of BC.