Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2019

Purpose and justification of the indicator

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the developed world and one of the most important causes of premature mortality. The most important risk factors for the occurrence of breast cancer are: demographic factors, maternity factors, use of hormones, alcohol, obesity, ionizing radiation and heredity.
The chance of a cure is high if breast cancer is detected in time, when it is still in the early stages of development. An important examination for the early detection of breast cancer is mammography, which can detect cancer when it is not yet palpable. Breast self-examination plays a key role in breast cancer detection.
Breast cancer can be prevented and its frequency reduced with appropriate preventive measures. The promotion of preventive activities, both within the local health infrastructure and the health care system, as well as the promotion of healthy practices and measures, is essential for reducing the incidence and mortality of breast cancer.
Important elements of preventive action at the local level are the provision of capacities for the DORA screening program, encouragement to respond to the screening program, awareness of the importance and education about self-examination and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, e.g. healthy diet, exercise. It is also important to prevent the development of risk factors such as obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and exposure to harmful environmental factors.

Definition of indicator

The breast cancer mortality rate describes breast cancer deaths before age 75 per 100,000 women in an observed calendar year.
An age-standardized rate is calculated, which enables mutual comparison of populations with different age structures.

Unit of measure

Calculation of the indicator

The standardized breast cancer mortality rate is the ratio of the number of women who died of breast cancer before the age of 75 in the observed calendar year to the number of women aged 0 to 74 years inclusive in the middle of the same year, multiplied by 100,000.
The disease category according to the ICD-10 classification, which is included in the calculation, is C50.
Breast cancer mortality
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The direct standardization method is used for standardization, where the Slovenian population from 2014 is used as the standard population. The publications show the average of several consecutive years.

Data sources for Slovenia

Death Database, National Institute of Public Health.
Population, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

Time availability

Data on breast cancer mortality are published annually.

Men in literature

<ol>
<li>Zadnik V, Primic Žakelj M. SLORA: Slovenia and cancer. Cancer Epidemiology and Registry. Oncology Institute Ljubljana. <a href="http://www.slora.si" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.slora.si</a> (October 5, 2015).</li>
<li>Oncology Institute Ljubljana ( <a href="http://www.onko-i.si/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.onko-i.si/</a> )</li>
</ol>

Notes

The indicator was included in the 2016 and 2017 publications.

Mortality

Prepared by: Metka Zaletel 
Date of last modification: September 2016

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Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: January 2018

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Date of last change: September 2016

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Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Bonia Miljavac 
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Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: November 2019

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
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Health status

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec and Sonja Tomšič 
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Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: October 2019

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Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric, Jona Bambič 
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Date of last change: February 2020

Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: April 2023

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Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
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Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2020