Article
Breast Cancer Screening in the elderly - An Intercultural Survey
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Published: | March 20, 2006 |
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Starting point: During the last decades survival rates in breast cancer have increased as a result of earlier detection and increased use of adjuvant therapy, nevertheless old women with breast cancer are still under- diagnosed, less staged and subsequently less treated.
In Germany and in the Netherland here is an organised screening program for the early detection of breast cancer. However, prevention is less applied by the elderly. The reason is probably the reluctance of women in the older age groups to undergo the required screening examinations or their reluctance to visit doctors in general.
In Egypt there are no organised screening programs for the early detection. However, on the individual level many women undergo frequent screening examinations. Untill now a comprehensive review of the knowledge, practice and attitude is still missing.
Aim of the study: This study aims to search for the causes of the reluctance of the elderly towards the screening examination and to evaluate them in order to overcome these obstacles.
Additionally, the study in Egypt aims to evaluate the information status of the different age groups about the breast cancer.
Finally an intercultural comparison will be achieved through studying and comparing the different factors and outcomes.