Abstract

Qatar has one of the highest age-adjusted breast cancer incidences in the Arab world. Although this is much lower than the incidence in the West. Breast cancer incidence in Qatar was 45 per 100,000 in 2003-2007. 53 per 100,000 in 2008-2011. These higher incidence rates in Qatar are mainly due to the growing population. The prevalent age group, between both Qatari and non-Qatari patients, was 40-50 years old. This suggests that the age-specific incidence of breast cancer in Qatari women is shifting more to a pattern usually not seen in Western nations where median age at diagnosis is 61 years of age, moreover the diagnosis is often at advanced stages of breast cancer. These factors, together with reconfirmed evidence of mortality benefit from breast cancer screening trials, led to establishment the first hospital based mammographic breast cancer screening program in Qatar. It uses a distributed model of mammography service. The program accepts eligible asymptomatic women at age between 40-69 years and was launched in 2008. It adopted international standards of breast screening practice and breast cancer detection.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Controlled trials; Radiology; Breast imaging; Carcinoma; Screening program; Breast cancer; Mammography; High risk women