Breast Cancer Early Detection Program for Underserved Women or Women at Higher Risk for Breast Cancer

Project location: ITALY, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Campania, Puglia
Project start date: January 2013 - Project end date: July 2014
Project number: 2012-096
Beneficiary: Susan G. Komen Italia onlus

 

Breast cancer is the leading cause of deaths among women ages 40 - 59. Every year, over 44.000 women, in Italy, develop breast cancer, one every 15 minutes, and about 12.000 die for the disease.
Early detection is a very effective tool to fight breast cancer: detection at an early stage provides a greater chance of survival and more treatment options.
Therefore, Komen Italia is strongly committed, since 2001, in offering free screening exams especially to underserved women (immigrants, convicted women), or women not involved in public screening programs (women younger than 50 years) or women at a higher risk for breast cancer (such as nuns).

Komen Italia will organize special "Early detection days", using its Mobile Mammography Unit, at the venue of the partner organizations (such as charity organizations, convents, prisons, etc). During these events, free mammograms, breast ultrasound exams, clinical breast exams will be offered to women that have not undergone such exams in the previous 12 months. Therefore, the women served will not have to go to the hospital, and this for many reasons will facilitate their compliance with the early detection guidelines.

Each "Early detection day" will follow the same format:
Hours 08:30 am - 1:00 pm/ 1:30 - 4:30 pm
Target: 40 women over 40 (who will undergo the mammography);
20 women under 40 (who will undergo the ultrasound);
Total: 60 women.

Nr detection exams
Total Mammographies: 40 (morning: 20 - afternoon: 20)
Total Breast Ultrasounds: 40 (morning: 20 - afternoon: 20)
Total exams: 80

Breast ultrasounds will be offered to:
• 20 women over 40 who will undergo also a mammography and for whom also this test is needed
• 20 women under 40.

The exams will be performed by a qualified radiologist, a breast surgeon and a radiologic technicians, assisted by a volunteer who will welcome the women, collect their data, give information, give immediately the medical report and the iconography on CD.
Moreover, Komen needs to purchase a new and updated ultrasound machine that will be used for several years in all its prevention events.

Komen Italia has planned to organize 10 prevention events per year, reaching 600 women. As there is a growing request for this opportunity, the aim of this project, which received  a grant from the Nando Peretti Foundation, is to organize 4 additional "Early Detection Days", for the benefit of 240 underserved women and offering 320 free exams.


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