According to a new European study, the modern screening programs that help the breast cancer diagnosis have a great impact on reducing the number of deaths from the illness.

The doctor J.M.Johann claims that the mortality rates have declined during the last five years, after the introduction of the special breast cancer screening programs that are obligatory for certain age categories. However, the women must undergo the screening on a regular basis.

Dr.Johann is a leading cancer specialist at the European Oncology Research Center. He and his colleagues have studied the breast oncology trends during the gradual phase taking the period of 30 years, starting from 1975. The specific Dutch screening program was in the spotlight of the research. Ever since 1989, female patients of 50-69 age category were encouraged to undergo the screening procedure. In 1990 the target population was covered for only 11 percent, whereas in 1996 the coverage was 100 percent already. The upper age limit was raised to 75 years in 1997 and included all women in 2001.

From 1975 to 2003 the number of patients with diagnosed invasive breast cancer has doubled, according to Dutch database. In the meantime, the number of patients with noninvasive breast cancer has tripled during the period of 1989-2003.

The death rate has declined from 70 percent in 1975 to 54 percent in 2006, which is notable.

Female patients of 45-54 age category show better results with the decrease in mortality by 2 percent between 1971 and 2006. Mortality rates for women 55-64 age category fell by 2.3 percent after 1994.

The oldest age category, i.e. women of 70-74 years, show the decrease in mortality rate as 4.8 percent after 2001.

Dr.Johann and his research group have concluded that the results are impressive, for there’s an astonishing decrease in breast oncology mortality due to the timely breast cancer screening.