Audit system on Quality of breast cancer diagnosis and Treatment (QT): results from the survey on screen-detected lesions in Italy , 2002

At the same workshop the QT Audit System has been endorsed as the EUSOMA database as it was deemed capable of assisting Breast Units in this activity. QT is a Microsoft Access© individual records database produced within the European Breast Cancer Network with funding by the “Europe Against Cancer” programme of the European Commission, which can be freely downloaded from www.cpo.it/qt or the EUSOMA website (www.eusoma.org). It is available in five languages (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish; an Hungarian version is in preparation) and has users in several European countries. A web version, which would not require the use of Microsoft Access©, is under construction. Useful features of QT are that it is being kept updated with guidelines and the availability within the same package of data entry and data analysis facilities, ranging from free analysis with use of the main statistical procedures to the production of several standard reports. QT allows recording of data on all women recalled for assessment in a screening programme (or assessed for clinical suspicion). Data items included in QT are numerous, serving different needs by clinicians which are related not only to monitoring but also to patient care. However, the minimum data set necessary to calculate European indicators is much more limited and is clearly identifiable by the user. QT includes a section with screening history to allow its use for screening evaluation purposes, allowing to classify population breast cancer cases as Never Invited, Never Attenders, Screen Detected, Interval. In addition to the monitoring of process indicators, the system allows data recording and analysis on long term follow up for recurrences and survival.