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Short Version of the Guideline: Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany

An evidence-, consensus-, and outcome-based guideline according to the German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) and the German Agency for Quality in Medicine (AeZQ)

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Abstract

The goal of the Guideline “Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany” is to assist physicians, healthy women, and patients in the decision-making process in favour of appropriate health care regarding early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The principle of early detection of breast cancer embraces the detection of non-invasive stages of breast cancer (UICC stage 0, carcinoma in situ), reducing the frequency of invasive breast cancer development, as well as the identification of breast cancer at an early stage (UICC stage I) having a chance of cure of more than 90%, as shown by a large number of trials. The Guideline summarized in the following paper is a precondition to establishing a nation-wide, comprehensive, quality-assurance program for the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. The resulting consequence should be a timely mortality reduction of breast cancer. The cure of early stage disease will additionally be achieved by less intensive treatment methods while largely maintaining the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Implementing the Guideline offers the possibility of a significant improvement in women’s health care.

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Acknowledgements

The financing of the evidence-, consensus-, and outcome-based Guideline was made possible exclusively by the generous support of the German Cancer Aid and was independent of any support from commerce, government, and industry. For the translation of the guideline we thank the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for financial support. The German Society of Senology, the German Cancer Society, German Cancer Aid, and the World Society for Breast Health chaired the development of this Guideline. We are more than thankful to the more than one hundred contributing members of the participating scientific medical and non-medical societies for their fruitful co-operation in sharing their expert knowledge to finalize this Guideline. We thank Mrs. A. Rost for secretarial and organizational support during the development of the Guideline. We thank J. Doherty for editorial assistance. We thank Springer-Verlag, Germany, for supporting multidisciplinary publication of the German short version of the Guideline within the scope of disseminating the Guideline. The first German short version was published in Der Onkologe (2003) 9:394–403 DOI 10.1007/s00761-003-0496-z, Springer-Verlag 2003. We thank W. Zuckschwerdt-Verlag, Munich, for supporting the dissemination of the first German long version published as “Stufe-3-Leitlinie Brustkrebs-Früherkennung in Deutschland”. Schulz KD, Albert US (eds) 2003, ISBN 3–88603–812–2, W. Zuckschwerdt-Verlag, Munich. We thank The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for implementing the first German short version of a women’s information postcard: “Früherkennung – Leitplan zur Brustgesundheit”. For performing electronic dissemination we thank the German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) and the German Agency for Quality in Medicine (AeZQ), the German Society of Senology, and the Guideline International Network (GIN).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Gynaecology, Gynaecological Endocrinology and Oncology, Philipps-University, Pilgrimstein 3, 35037, Marburg, Germany

    U.-S. Albert & K.-D. Schulz

Authors
  1. U.-S. Albert
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  2. K.-D. Schulz
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Consortia

the Members of the Guideline Steering Committee

and the Chair Persons of the Task Force Groups

Corresponding author

Correspondence to U.-S. Albert.

Additional information

The names and affiliations of the Guideline Steering Committee and the Task Force Groups can be found in the Appendix

Members of the Guideline Steering Committee and the Chair Persons of the Task Force Groups

Members of the Guideline Steering Committee and the Chair Persons of the Task Force Groups

H. Altland, German Professional Association of Radiologists; P. Berg, Germany Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics; M. Dietel, German Society of Pathology; J. Engel, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology; J. Fischer, German Professional Association of Radiologists; M. Geraedts, Institute for Sociology; S. Heywang-Köbrunner, Breast Imaging Committee of the German Society of Radiology; D. Hölzel, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology; E. Kalbheim, German Society of Cancer Aid; M. Kaufmann, Campaign: Awareness of Breast Cancer; M. Koller, Institute for Theoretical Surgery; R. Kreienberg, German Cancer Society; A. Lebeau, German Professional Association of Pathologists; W. Lorenz, German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies; M. Madjar, German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine; U. Mödder, German Society of Radiology; I. Nass-Griegoleit, Women’s Health Coalition; K. Prechtel, German Professional Association of Pathologists; W. Schlake, German Professional Association of Pathologists; I. Schreer, German Society of Senology; R. Schulz-Wendtland, German Society of Senology; G. Schumacher, German Professional Association of Radiologists; M. Steiner, German Professional Association of Gynaecologists under the leading responsibility of the German Society of Senology, the German Cancer Society, German Cancer Aid, and the World Society for Breast Health

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Albert, US., Schulz, KD., the Members of the Guideline Steering Committee. et al. Short Version of the Guideline: Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 130, 527–536 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-004-0558-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-004-0558-7

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