Computer Simulation of Breast Cancer Screening
Abstract
Breast cancer screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality, however the current protocols for screening (annual screens after age 40) are not optimized and do not appropriately accommodate the spectrum of breast cancer risk present in the screening population. Optimization studies using clinical trials are unrealistic because of cost, time, and ethical concerns. In this investigation, we are developing a computer model which allows a wide variety of breast cancer screening protocols to be studied in the computer simulation environment. The computer model incorporates a variety of data into various modules, including demographic, incidence, growth rate, detection, survival, and other sources of data from the literature. Once the computer model is validated against published clinical trial data, it can be used to predict the most efficient screening schedules for women in various categories of risk. The model currently focuses on mammography for breast cancer screening, but other screening procedures including alternative imaging methods (e.g. MRI, ultrasound, computed tomography) or serum-based tumor marker testing could be incorporated into the model. Progress towards building all modules has proceeded well and after additional validation analyses, the methods used will be ready for reporting in the scientific literature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA389633
Entities
People
- John Boone
Organizations
- University of California