A COMPARISON OF SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY RESULTS FROM PROGRAMS FOR WOMENOF DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS

BACKGROUND. The ability of screening mammography programs serving wome n of different socioeconomic status (SES) to diagnose early stage brea st carcinoma in a comparably effective fashion has been questioned. ME THODS. Results of screening 50,653 women of lower SES were compared wi th those of screening 45,923 more socioeconomically advantaged women d uring the same period in New York State. Results were compared with th ose reported for the general population to the New York State cancer r egistry. RESULTS. Additional workup was required for approximately 12% of the women in each group. Although more women of lower SES underwen t biopsy, the positive predictive value of a biopsy recommendation was almost the same for the two populations (27% for women of higher SES vs. 25% for women of lower SES). Among women with breast carcinoma, du ctal carcinoma in situ was diagnosed in 27% of more affluent women and 15% of women of lower SES, a considerable improvement from the 10% ra te of diagnosis in the general population in New York State. Minimal c ancers accounted for 54% of those diagnosed in more affluent women and at least 31% of those diagnosed in women of lower SES. CONCLUSIONS. S creening mammography programs can be effective for women of lower SES and can be conducted as efficiently as they are for more affluent wome n. Differences in diagnosis of small cancers in the two groups reporte d in this article may reflect differences in age and patterns of prior screening experience in the two populations. (C) 1998 American Cancer Society.