Specialist Breast Centres
Thanks to Steph at The Biopsy Report for raising a question on Specialist Breast Centres. This has become an emotive subject with the threatened closure of some breast cancer units around the country and while I fully understand the concerns of local groups campaigning against these closures, I nevertheless believe that Specialist Breast Centres offer women diagnosed with breast cancer the best chance of survival. A Specialist Breast Centre offers specialist services to women who have been referred by their doctors.International research has shown that diagnosis and treatment in specialised centres improve survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer by 25 to 30%. The centres must see a large number of patients in order that personnel maintain expertise. All doctors and nurses in specialist centres have specific training in dealing with breast disease. National Quality Assurance Standards have been developed and HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) will be accrediting centres based on these standards.
Multidisciplinary Teams have special expertise and training in breast cancer and are made up of breast surgeons, breast radiologists, breast care nurses, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.
An estimated one in twelve Irish women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, with over 1,700 new cases of the disease diagnosed in Ireland each year. Early diagnosis is key and Triple Assessment at a Specialist Breast Centre is recognised as best practice for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
EuropaDonna Ireland, the Irish Breast Campaign have produced a helpful leaflet explaining Specialist Breast Centres and what to expect there, along with a location of Specialist Breast Centres in Ireland.
You can download the leaflet in pdf form here or contact them requesting a copy.
JBBC
I’m very much in agreement with you here.
No screening system will ever be 100 per cent accurate but triple assessment offers women the best opportunity of an early diagnosis.
If you look back at the recent cases where breast cancer diagnoses were missed, I think you’ll find they happened where there was no multidisciplinary team was in place. The more heads that are put together to discuss individual cases, the better the likelihood of receiving optimal treatment.
I know that if I ever personally received a diagnosis of cancer, I would be prepared to travel anywhere in order to receive treatment in a specialist cancer centre. When it comes to survival, I want the best chance!
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I couldn’t have put it better myself Steph! The facts emerging after the misdiagnoses scandals of 2007/08 highlight the necessity and the importance of having specialist breast centres with triple assessment and a multi disciplinary team of
specialist breast cancer professionals in place. The paramount need in Ireland is to concentrate breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in specialist centres that are appropriately and adequately resourced and staffed and ultimately independently accredited.
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