Screening for breast cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

1Associate Director Research, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (Correspondence to A.B. Miller: ab.miller@sympatico.ca). Breast cancer is the most important cancer in women in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), being the number one cancer in 16 of the 22 countries. In many technically advanced countries mammography screening, generally from the age of 50 years, is the most common breast cancer control strategy performed. The WHO has recommended a step-wise approach to introducing screening, beginning with the promotion of early diagnosis through public and professional education, to pilot studies of organized programmes, followed by national programmes as resources permit [1,2]. This approach has been incorporated in the Cancer Control Strategy of the EMR Office of WHO. In summary, the planning steps include: