Ayla Ünsal

Assessment of Results of the Mammography Screenings among Women Older than 40 Years in a Residential Area

Objective: This study was conducted in order to determine the breast cancer risk levels among women older than 40, gain the habit of having a mammography which is one of the early screening programs, direct women to mammography, and assess the mammography results. Methods: The study was conducted on female patients older than 40, who were hospitalized in the services of a research and training hospital between 1 February and 1 June 2014, and their relatives (n=409). Appointments were received from Kirsehir Early Diagnosis, Screening, and Training Center for women who completed the data collection form and breast cancer risk assessment form and they were guided in having mammography. Results: As a result of the mammography screening; while normal breast tissues were determined in 42.5% of the women, nodular lumps were determined in 21.8%. Breast cancer risk scores were observed to be higher in women who had personal history of breast cancer and a history of breast cancer in their mothers, had no children, menstruated before the age of 11, had a fat body structure, were in the high risk group according to the breast cancer risk. Discussion: Early diagnosis in breast cancer could be possible through training and informing women on this issue and applying the screening programs. In this study, many women were screened by using mammography, which is a cheap, easily applicable, and easily accessible screening method, and the risk factors were determined.