Coping with problems that flaw the estimate of mammography sensitivity in population-based screening programmes: the Italian perspective

Highlights • Growing difficulties in calculating the proportional incidence of interval breast cancers are emerging in screening programmes. • In an Italian regional programme, the proportional incidence of 1st- and 2nd-year interval cancers was 0.16 and 0.37 • Although these results are acceptable, their comparability with literature data and with standards is problematic • The criteria and methods used to estimate mammography sensitivity need to be revised and standardized