Every 2nd goes to mammography screening

Only half of Berlin's women go to breast cancer screening

03/02/2015

Although breast cancer is the cancer with the highest death rate among women in Germany, only about half of Berlin's women go to mammography screening. According to experts, breast cancer can be successfully treated with early diagnosis in most cases.

Highest death rate in women
After cardiovascular disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in Germany. The cancer with the highest death rate in women is breast cancer. Every year, around 17,500 people die of it and around 70,000 fall ill each year. According to the German Society of Senology (DGS), today about 80 percent of ill women can be successfully treated. Much depends on an early diagnosis. However, far too many women do not go to the regular check-up.

Only every second Berlin woman goes to the early detection
As the news agency dpa reports, so far only about half of Berlin's statutory insured women between the ages of 50 and 69 have accepted the invitation to breast cancer screening. This is evident from the most recent data from the Cooperation Community Mammography for the year 2011. Berlin is thus well below the federal average of around 56 percent. Especially in the eastern federal states the popularity is higher. For example, about 59 percent of the legally insured Brandenburg women at this age went to mammography screening.

Screening contributes to better chances of recovery
This screening helps more women with breast cancer keep their breasts and have better chances of recovery. Because, according to the report of the cooperation community, more tumors are discovered in the early stages of the examination than before the nationwide start of the screening in 2009. Therefore, gentler treatment methods are often possible. Although some physicians point out that there is a higher percentage of over-diagnosis in mammography compared to screening for colorectal cancer, most experts advise women to have the exam done on a regular basis.

Free examination
Basically, the screening is not a guarantee of survival for the individual woman. According to statistics, women between the ages of 50 and 69 are at the highest risk for breast cancer and are therefore invited every two years for a systematic chest x-ray. Participation is voluntary and free. In 2011, a total of around 2.7 million women were screened, and around 17,000 had breast cancer. (Ad)