Women aged 40 to 49 years with no mammogram have increased odds of positive nodes, larger tumors
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Breast cancer screening is associated with less aggressive treatment, including among women aged 40 to 49 years, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, held from May 2 to 6 in Orlando, Fla.
Elisa Port, M.D., from the Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues examined the impact of screening mammography on subsequent treatment in women diagnosed with breast cancer. A total of 1,125 patients aged older than 40 years diagnosed with breast cancer were classified according to the time interval between breast cancer diagnosis and prior screening: one to 24 months (73 percent) and 25+ months (27 percent).
The researchers found that, compared to patients with screening one to 24 months before diagnosis, those with screening 25+ months had increased likelihood of receiving chemotherapy, undergoing mastectomy, and requiring axillary dissection (odds ratios, 1.51, 1.32, and 1.66, respectively). Patients aged 40 to 49 years who had never had a mammogram were significantly more likely to require chemotherapy and have positive nodes (odds ratios, 2.52 and 4.52, respectively), have larger tumors (23 versus 13 mm), and undergo mastectomy and axillary dissection compared to those screened within 24 months (odds ratios, 3.44 and 4.64, respectively).
“Decision making regarding the use of screening mammography should not only take into account survival advantage, but other end points, including potential for less aggressive treatment,” the authors write.
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