Qlik Honors MammaCare for Advancing Women’s Health
Early detection of breast cancer is in the hands of clinicians and women.
MammaCare, a Clinical Breast exam research company is recognized at first Qlik World Conference
In late 2013, the World Health Organization reported a sharp rise in breast cancer. The following excerpt is from the report:
“In 2012, 1.7 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer…since 2008 estimates, breast cancer incidence has increased by more than 20%, while mortality has increased by 14%. Breast cancer is also the most common cause of cancer death among women (522 000 deaths in 2012) and the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in 140 of 184 countries worldwide… Incidence has been increasing in most regions of the world. Incidence rates remain highest in more developed regions, but mortality is relatively much higher in less developed countries due to a lack of early detection and access to treatment facilities.”
The means to improve the early detection of breast cancer exists in the hands of clinicians and women. Fingers possess the sensitivity to detect small breast tumors just as they can detect a faint pulse or “read” tiny Braille dots. Most breast cancers are palpable and properly trained fingers can reliably discriminate small, less than .5cm (<5mm) clinically relevant breast changes from the feeling of normal breast tissue. Treatment of these small breast tumors is positively associated with 15-year survival.
| Tumor Size (mm) | Tumor Size Comparison | Survival after 15 Years (negative lymph nodes) |
Survival after 15 Years (positive lymph nodes) |
| 1-10 mm | Pea | 88.7% to 94.9% | 71.2% to 89.6% |
| 11-20 mm | Almond | 86.2% to 92.4% | 63.4% to 76.8% |
| 21-50 mm | Walnut | 73.4% to 83.6% | 40.4% to 53.8% |
Adapted from “Tumour size predicts long-term survival among women with lymph node-positive breast cancer,” by S.A. Narod, 2012, Current Oncology, 19(5), 249-253.
Another new, multi-center study of 4,113 patients with small breast cancers reported that 5 year survival ranged from 90% to 100% for women whose cancers were less than 1cm (<10mm).
Recognizing that early detection and treatment can save the lives of women, the US National Cancer Institute and National Science Foundation supported development of standards and training for proficient manual breast exams, known as MammaCare. Using high-fidelity breast models with small, simulated lesions MammaCare scientists created the technology, methods and standards that teach fingers how to detect the smallest palpable tumors. Thousands of clinicians have been trained or certified in MammaCare. Their hands perform quality-standard clinical breast exams for women, worldwide.
Qlik, world leader in data intelligence, recognized three organizations making notable contributions. Medair, MammaCare and the UN were recognized at the Qlik World Conference November, 2014. The MammaCare Team of dedicated scientists and educators is proud of the honor and recognition given to them by The Qlik Team.
