Mobile Mammography Unit

The National Mammography Screening and "Invitation to Life" programs along with ongoing information campaigns have significantly helped raise the level of awareness and compliance to early detection of breast cancer, as well as reduce disparities in compliance rates between women living in the central region of the country and those residing in more remote areas

More than 20 years ago, the Israel Cancer Association initiated a national program for early detection of breast cancer, which has been operated ever since by the Ministry of Health and in collaboration with all the health service providers. The program has been funded and monitored for 20 years with the ICA’s help, from population-based diagnostic radiology screening for target groups of women aged 50-75, to surgical procedures and pathological diagnosis and monitoring in oncology institutes for women diagnosed with malignancies.

The entire national program was initiated by and coordinated on behalf of the ICA by Miri Ziv, ICA Vice Chair and former Director General. In 2018, the Executive Board approved further funding for the Ministry of Health to operate a system of targeted registries for quality assurance of the National Program for Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Israel.

There are 65 mammography institutes operating in Israel, among which is the ICA Mobile Mammography Vehicle, whose aim is to improve accessibility in the social and geographical peripheries and special sectors of the population where compliance to undergo this potentially life-saving test is considerably low. The mobile unit reaches approximately 150 establishments across the country, and over 10,000 women undergo mammograms through the unit per year.
The mobile unit is available to women residing in remote areas who are less aware of the importance of screening tests, such as in Arab villages and development towns where there is a high percentage of new immigrants, ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, etc.

Studies indicate a significant reduction in the gaps between these sectors since its operation. Based on data collected through the National Mammography Screening and Quality Assurance program financed by ICA, it is shown that since the project's inception, breast cancer early detection rates have significantly improved.

Due to the demand for the mobile unit’s services, a second unit began operating in 2011. Both units were operated by professional staff from Assuta Medical Center in collaboration with all health service providers.
In 2015, about 30,000 tests were carried out in some 140 different venues all over the country. In 2016, the older unit was retired. The provision of a mobile unit from 2015 to 2017 was helped by a donation from the Azrieli Foundation (Israel).
According to details published by the Ministry of Health in November 2019, mammography screening rates for women aged 50-74 rose from 69% in 2014 to 72.5% in 2018, representing approximately 70,000 additional women among the target population.

The 2009 WHO survey of the European region revealed that Israel leads in mammography compliance rates, in view of the reduced disparaties between different sectors of the population.

Lili Biller Lev

Committees and Projects Manager