ORGANIZING EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND SCREENING PROGRAMS FOR BREAST CANCER IN TURKEY "The report of Breast Cancer Early Detection and Screening Sub-Committee, National Cancer Advisory Board, The Ministry of Health of Turkey"

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly seen and cause of cancer deaths in women in most of the developed and developing countries. Breast cancer awareness and organized population based screening programmes have resulted in early diagnosis, reduction in mortality, and breastconserving surgery. Therefore, body image of women suffered from breast cancer has been protected, and overall survival rate has increased. Eighty-four KETEM's (Cancer Early Detection and Screening Center) in 81 provinces in Turkey has been founded by Cancer Control Department of The Ministry of Health of Turkey. Opportunistic screening has been performed in these centers; however there are no available data regarding the effect of opportunistic screening on breast cancer mortality. Population based organized screening programmes should be implemented to reach this aim.