Most women with positive findings on screening mammography are diagnosed and started on treatment within 60 days of screening in a program designed by researchers at the Mayo Clinic. Most women with positive findings on screening mammography are diagnosed and started on treatment within 60 days of screening in a program designed and implemented by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

The program was described by Frances M. Palmieri, RN, at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas.

The researchers reviewed data from their comprehensive diagnostic breast cancer screening program, which enrolled 447 medically underserved women. The population was 65 per cent white, 21 per cent black and 11 per cent Hispanic. Mean age was 49.7 years.

Screening mammography was negative in 66 per cent, while 1.2 per cent had American College of Radiology's breast density score (BIRADS) of class one, 4.1 per cent had class two, 7.0 per cent had class three, 21 per cent had class four and 1.2 per cent had class five.

Breast cancer was diagnosed in 38 women -- 29 with invasive carcinoma and nine with DCIS.

The median number of days from screening abnormality to diagnosis was 36 days. The time between screening and diagnosis was 60 days or less in 82 per cent of women with BIRADS Class 4 and 5.

"This study showed the ability of nurses to form networks, using health department resources, and using nurse navigators to guide the women through the healthcare system," Palmieri told Reuters Health.

The investigators not only used resources already available, but they created some of their own, including establishing a childcare program and even getting a bus route from urban areas directly to the clinic site.

"Our goal was to get as many women to diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible. Timely diagnosis is key," Palmieri said. "Most delays occur between screening and diagnosis. With a lot of breast cancers, a delay of more than 60 days can have a significant impact on survival.