Publications by authors named "Cristina Forastero"
Objectives: To build up and test a Monte Carlo simulation procedure for the investigation of overdiagnosis in breast screening programmes (BSPs).
Design: A Monte Carlo tool previously developed has been adapted for obtaining the quantities of interest in order to determine the overdiagnosis: the annual and cumulative number of cancers detected by screening, plus interval cancers, for a population following the BSP, and detected clinically for the same population in the absence of screening. Overdiagnosis is obtained by comparing these results in a direct way.
Purpose: We studied the dependence on air density of the response of the PTW 34013 ionization chamber, recently upgraded for dosimetry control of low energy X-ray beams.
Methods: Measurements were performed by changing the pressure conditions inside a pressure chamber. The behavior of the measurements against the air density inside this chamber was analyzed.
Purpose: To analyze breast screening randomized trials with a Monte Carlo simulation tool.
Methods: A simulation tool previously developed to simulate breast screening programmes was adapted for that purpose. The history of women participating in the trials was simulated, including a model for survival after local treatment of invasive cancers.
Purpose: To develop a Monte Carlo tool that permits to study the reduction in breast cancer mortality rate due to breast screening programs.
Methods: Simulations implement woman histories undergoing a screening program, include a model of survival after local treatment of invasive cancers and use distributions of time gained due to screening detection against symptomatic detection and overall sensitivity of the screening obtained previously. Mortalities for the whole woman population and for those women with ages within the range considered in the program have been calculated.