Screening of the target population of women in the national program for the early detection of breast cancer - the DORA program
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, accounting for about a fifth of all cancers in women. 80% of breast cancer occurs in women over the age of 50.
In accordance with the recommendations of the European Union, in Slovenia, in 2008, we started introducing a national screening program for the early detection of breast cancer - the DORA Program. The introduction was gradual, so we achieved nationwide coverage in 2018. The DORA program operates in accordance with strict European quality guidelines, and healthy women aged 50-69 are invited to it every two years. In the DORA program, we identify changes with screening mammography, which is currently the most reliable and accurate method for identifying initial cancerous changes in the breasts in this age group of women. If a suspicious change is found on the screening mammography, the woman is invited for further diagnostic treatment. If breast cancer is diagnosed, the woman is also referred for further treatment (surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy). Screening detects tumors at an early stage that cannot be felt by women or their doctors. For small cancers that are limited to the breast, treatment can be very successful and the treatment itself is less aggressive.
The long-term goal of the screening program is to reduce breast cancer mortality by 20-30% in the target population. This goal can be achieved if the screening rate of the target population is high enough, at least 70%. Participation in the screening program depends on various factors, including the acceptability of the screening program in the target population, accessibility, previous experience and others.
Screening in the DORA program describes the proportion of female residents aged 50-69 who have undergone screening imaging, calculated per female residents aged 50-69 who were invited to the DORA program over a period of two calendar years.
Screening in the DORA program describes the proportion of female residents aged 50-69 who have undergone screening imaging, calculated per female residents aged 50-69 who were invited to the DORA program over a period of two calendar years.
Percent (%).
Screening rate in the DORA program is the ratio of the number of women who have undergone screening imaging to the number of women who received an invitation for screening imaging in two consecutive calendar years, multiplied by 100.
The denominator includes women who received an invitation with an appointment for screening imaging from 1.1. until 31.12. the following year (e.g. 1/1/2018–12/31/2019), and these women could take pictures from 1/1. until the day the data is printed, due to the possibility of reordering. Participation 01.01.2018-31.10.2019
Screening in the DORA program
Database Register DORA, Oncology Institute Ljubljana
Data are published annually, available from 2018 onwards.
- Spletna stran Programa DORA (https://dora.onko-i.si)
- European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis, Fourth Edition. Dostopno 11.11.2019 na: https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_projects/2002/cancer/fp_cancer_2002_ext_guid_01.pdf
The DORA program has been available in all Slovenian municipalities since the end of 2017, except for the municipalities of Brežice, Sevnica and Kostanjevica na Krka, where it has been available since April 2018.