Low-cost screening mammography: results of 21,141 consecutive examinations in a community program.

The benefits and problems of comprehensive screening mammography are well recognized. Using the advantages inherent in a unified medical community, we designed a low-cost screening program with emphasis on prompt work-up, continuity, and conservative management of lesions with low probability of being malignant. Its goals were to duplicate the good results of previously reported breast screening programs as measured by detection and biopsy rate and the histologic and staging analysis of cancers found, while minimizing the recognized problems of aggressive screening. This paper describes our program and reports our first three years' experience as represented by 21,141 consecutive mammograms. Analysis suggests that our goals have been met. We have gained lay and community acceptance, and our results appear in line with those of other successful screening series.