Review of BreastScreen SA finds 72 cases of missed breast cancer
Updated: TWO women whose cancers were among 72 cases missed during a two-year technology changeover period at BreastScreen SA have died, a review has revealed.
TWO women whose cancers were among 72 cases missed during a two-year technology changeover period at BreastScreen SA have died, a review has revealed.
One of the women had a detectable advanced stage cancer, while the cause of death of the other elderly woman could not be confirmed.
Health Minister Jack Snelling today apologised as he revealed the two women were among 72 whose potentially detectable cancers were missed by BreastScreen SA.
The revelations are expected to culminate in legal action against the State Government, with 60 women who had mammograms at BreastScreen SA contacting an Adelaide law firm as part of a potential class action. Of the women, 30 have developed breast cancer.
In December a review of 53,104 digital screening mammograms between September 6, 2010, and June 30, 2012 began because 95 fewer cancers than expected had been detected. The results of that review have been made public today.
Marleston mother of two Marcelle Builder, 64, booked a mammogram with BreastScreen SA in May last year because three of her friends had been diagnosed with the disease.
"I got scared so I thought I had better do something about it,"she said.
But her scan came back all clear and she figured she was fine.
In February, BreastScreen SA asked her to return for further testing because a dark spot had been found in her original scan.
"I was absolutely frightened," she said.
A biopsy later revealed she had two tumors behind the nipple in her left breast. She has since had a lumpectomy and this week began seven weeks of daily radiotherapy.
"I'm very, very upset to think that I had this in my body for 10 months and nothing has been done with it," she said.
She said she had not been told how much her tumors had grown within that period.
"I just want to make sure that this does not happen again because it's just a terrible thing," he said.
BreastScreen SA clinical director Associate Professor Gelareh Farshid said there was "no possibility at all" that the woman who was confirmed to have died from breast cancer could have been saved.
"In this instance we do not believe the very short delay in diagnosis would have made any difference," she said."
She would not reveal any details of either of the women.
The review identified the change in technology from analogue to digital mammography over a two year period meant screening reading practices resulted in fewer women being recalled.
It found no issue with the new technology and said detection rates had since returned to expected levels.
The review prompted the service to recall 570 women for further tests.
Mr Snelling said the review had aimed "to identify if any cancers had escaped detection and determine the causes, if any, of the lower than expected cancer detection rates".
"As a result of the review, 570 women were recalled for further assessment and a total of 72 cancers that were potentially detectable at the time of initial screening have been identified," Mr Snelling said.
"Fifty six of these 72 cancers were found through the re-read process and a further 16 interval cancers were classified as having been potentially detectable by a separate re-read process in relation to women who had already been diagnosed with interval cancers.
"The majority of these women were diagnosed at the very early stages of breast cancer. Five women have either postponed their assessment or have declined these further tests.
"I regret any anxiety this has caused women and their families, and wish those woman who have been diagnosed with cancer the best in their recovery.
"Our priority has always been to ensure that those women who require treatment receive the right care as soon as possible."
Mr Snelling said no advice had yet been sought on the possibility of legal action, but the state government would be a "model litigant".
"If there are any legal consequences of this they will be dealt with in the fullness of time.
"If there is some liability then we will be a model litigant."
Mr Snelling said each of the review's eight lines of inquiry had made recommendations for the future, all of which had already been, or would soon be implemented.
Associate Professor Farshid said BreastScreen SA mammograms remained the most effective method of early detection of breast cancer.
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