Changing the face of breast health management

The peer-reviewed paper entitled: Performance data of screening mammography at a dedicated breast health centre in Africa details outcome data that are within the range expected in high quality organised screening programs in resource-rich environments.

The implications of this paper are significant.

1. The incidence of breast cancers diagnosed proves that the current South African breast cancer statistics may be significantly underestimating breast cancer incidence and that South African women may be as much at risk as women internationally.

2. Due to this fact, an accessible breast screening programme for South African women should be identified as a priority in terms of healthcare policy.

3. This is the largest series world-wide to describe the quality of screening mammography reading by surgeons with a special interest in breast health. It shows, that South Africa as a resource limited environment is no different from other parts of the world in that breast imaging can be safely and efficiently provided by specialists other than radiologists; it confirms that dedication to breast health and stringent quality control are far more important than the professional qualifications of the professionals involved.

Of further significance is that this data may well provide an alternative quality control mechanism within the South African healthcare context - replacing the requirement for more complex mechanisms that would be difficult to implement and regulate.

This groundbreaking publication will change the face of breast screening practice.