Economic aspects of specialized preventive screening for breast cancer

: Economic problems involved in specialized mammographic screenings carried out among the workers of the City of Perm and the region were studied. The investigation was funded on a contract basis and no budget money was used. During 9 years, 61,276 women aged 17-72 (up to 20 years old--2.3%; 21-31--16.9%; 31-40--34.5%; 41-50--29.4%; 51-60--14.2%, and older than 60 years--2.7%) were examined. The costs of examination of all the patients by mammologist ran up to Rbl.464,251; mammography (MG)--Rbl.13,374; ultrasound (US)--Rbl.26,880, and aspiration biopsy--Rbl.14,852. The total cost was Rbl.716,490, or Rbl.11.7 ($0.4) per screenee. Cancer was diagnosed in 62 (stage I-II--90.3%). Each detection cost Rbl.11,556 ($398), or less by 33% (Rbl.7,727; $266) if the costs of MG and US, which failed to make any significant contribution, are subtracted. Also, 1,638 precancerous benign tumors were identified (each case--Rbl.437; $15). It is suggested that the actual costs of tumor detection make a case for further application of mass screenings.