Projected Impact of HPV and LBC Primary Testing on Rates of Referral for Colposcopy in a Canadian Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

Objective: To estimate the impact of implementing primary human papilloma virus liquid-based cytology (LBC) screening on four-year rates of referral for colposcopy in the British Columbia screening program.

Methods: We used data on referral for colposcopy from an RCT (HPV FOCAL) comparing HPV testing every four years with LBC testing every two years. We also used data from population screening with conventional cytology among women aged 25 to 69.

Pan-Canadian study of mammography screening and mortality from breast cancer.

Background: Screening with mammography has been shown by randomized controlled trials to reduce breast cancer mortality in women aged 40 to 74 years. Estimates from observational studies following screening implementation in different countries have produced varyied findings. We report findings for seven Canadian breast screening programs.

Incidence of breast cancer and estimates of overdiagnosis after the initiation of a population-based mammography screening program.

Background: There has been growing interest in the overdiagnosis of breast cancer as a result of mammography screening. We report incidence rates in British Columbia before and after the initiation of population screening and provide estimates of overdiagnosis.

Methods: We obtained the numbers of breast cancer diagnoses from the BC Cancer Registry and screening histories from the Screening Mammography Program of BC for women aged 30-89 years between 1970 and 2009.

False-positive screening mammograms and biopsies among women participating in a Canadian provincial breast screening program.

Background: Mammography screening results in false positives that cause anxiety and utilize scarce medical resources for their resolution. Determination of screening recommendations requires knowledge of the population risk of false positives.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia and analyzed to determine the influence of personal factors including age, ethnic group and screening history, and the centre where screening was performed, on the likelihood a new screen would result in a false positive and whether a biopsy was required.

Cancer risk in multiple sclerosis: findings from British Columbia, Canada.

Findings regarding cancer risk in people with multiple sclerosis have been inconsistent and few studies have explored the possibility of diagnostic neglect. The influence of a relapsing-onset versus primary progressive course on cancer risk is unknown. We examined cancer risk and tumour size at diagnosis in a cohort of patients with multiple sclerosis compared to the general population and we explored the influence of disease course.

40-year trends in skin cancer in British Columbia, Canada, 1973 to 2003.

Background: Skin cancer is common in North America. Incidence rate trends are potentially important in the assessment of the effects of measures to increase sun awareness in the population as well as measures to reduce sun damage.

Objective: To determine the incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) in a geographically defined Canadian population over a 40-year period.

Population studies of the effectiveness of mammographic screening.

Objective: To examine population data to see whether survival from breast cancer has improved differentially in screened and unscreened women and examine published studies on mammographic screening to determine whether there is evidence that screening is no longer effective.

Methods: Data was reviewed on trends in breast cancer specific survival among women participating and not participating in the British Columbia Breast Screening Program. Population studies of mammographic screening published between 2000 and 2010 with breast cancer mortality as the outcome were also reviewed.

Impact of changing from annual to biennial mammographic screening on breast cancer outcomes in women aged 50-79 in British Columbia.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare breast cancer outcomes among women subject to different policies on mammography screening frequency.

Setting: Data were obtained for women participating in the Screening Mammography Programme of British Columbia (SMPBC) for 1988--2005. The SMPBC changed its policy for women aged 50-79 years from annual to biennial mammography in 1997, but retained an annual recommendation for women aged 40-49 years.

Comparison of nonbreast cancer incidence, survival and mortality between breast screening program participants and nonparticipants.

Comparisons of cancer mortality between users and nonusers of screening are potentially biased because of the effects of self-selection. Previous studies of breast screening have found that individuals likely to participate have lower breast cancer mortality than those unlikely to participate. This study compares the incidence, survival and mortality for all cancer types other than breast between participants and nonparticipants in a service screening mammography program.

A retrospective study of the effect of participation in screening mammography on the use of chemotherapy and breast conserving surgery.

A population sample was obtained from the British Columbia (BC) Cancer Registry of all women diagnosed with a first breast cancer in 2002 who were resident in Greater Vancouver or Greater Victoria, BC. Information on treatment and prognostic factors were obtained from source records. The study group was linked to the records of the Screening Mammography Program of BC to identify screening histories on women prior to diagnosis.

Breast cancer mortality after screening mammography in British Columbia women.

Mammographic screening is a proven method for the early detection of breast cancer. The authors analyzed the impact of service mammographic screening on breast cancer mortality among British Columbia women who volunteered to be screened by the Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia. A cohort of women having at least one mammographic screen by Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia between the ages of 40 and 79 in the period 1988-2003 was identified.

Risk of a second malignant neoplasm among 5-year survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence in British Columbia, Canada.

Background: We examined second malignancies, a recognized late effect of therapy among survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer, among a recent, population-based cohort of 2,322 5-year survivors diagnosed before 20 years of age in British Columbia (BC), Canada between 1970 and 1995.

Procedure: Survivors and second malignancies were identified from the BC Cancer Registry. Risk of second malignancy was evaluated using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), absolute excess risk (AER), and cumulative risk.

Organized breast screening programs in Canada: effect of radiologist reading volumes on outcomes.

Purpose: To examine retrospectively the relationship between radiologist screening program reading volumes and interpretation results.

Materials And Methods: This research project was reviewed by the University of British Columbia Research Ethics Board. Informed patient consent was not required.

Risk of invasive cervical cancer after Pap smears: the protective effect of multiple negatives.

Objective: To determine the relationship between the number of initial negative Pap smears and risk of subsequent cervical cancer.

Design: A cohort study was conducted using data from the British Columbia Cervical Cancer Screening Program and British Columbia Cancer Registry. The analysis used a random sample (1%) of women aged 20-69 with Pap smears and all cases of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed between 1994 and 1999.

The risk of second malignancy in men with prostate cancer treated with or without radiation in British Columbia, 1984-2000.

Background And Purpose: To describe the risk of second malignancy following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, in British Columbia (BC), Canada. To ascertain whether that risk changed with the use of radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: All invasive cases of prostate cancer diagnosed from 1984 through to 2000 were retrieved from the BC Tumor Registry.

The changing face of prostate cancer in British Columbia 1988-2000.

Objective: To evaluate changes of prostate cancer incidence, referrals, stage, treatment and outcomes delivered in British Columbia since the 1980's.

Materials And Methods: Examination of the BC Provincial Tumour Registry, BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) and BC Medical Services Plan databases.

Results: The number of incident cases increased linearly from 1980 through 1990.