Via practica 3–4/2013

Time trends of selected breast cancer epidemiological data in the context of (not applicable) screening programe in Slovakia

Breast cancer currently is the most frequently occurring form of cancer in females (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), while it is an extremely rare disease in men. Breast cancer also is the most common cause of the death of females from cancer. Incidence development manifests an upward trend in almost all countries of the world (the Slovak Republic included). In several high-risk countries the mortality curves are characterized by a decline due to a combination of mammographic screening, and intensification of diagnosis of the disease in early clinical stages, by which a larger number of small tumors were found and finally by an improvement of the primary and adjuvant therapy of the disease. Persistent situation with rising rates (or stagnation) of mortality in eastern european countries (the Slovak Republic included) indicates the importance of introducing intervention measures.

Keywords: breast cancer, incidence, mortality, screening.