The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) lauded a study on the effectiveness of mammography screening that was published online September 9 in Cancer.
The study included 7,301 patients and was conducted by Dr. Blake Cady and colleagues at Harvard Medical School. The group found that 71% of confirmed breast cancer deaths occurred in the 20% of the study population who did not receive regular mammograms. And 50% of the breast cancer deaths occurred in women younger than age 50, while only 13% were in women 70 or older.
"These findings should quiet those who argue that women age 40 to 49 do not need regular mammography screening," said Dr. Barbara Monsees, chair of the ACR's breast imaging commission, in a statement. "Breast cancer treatment has come a long way, but, as this study demonstrates, these advances have not negated the value of or the need for early detection. This is especially true for younger women, who tend to have faster growing tumors."
The study should end confusion over when -- and if -- women need to begin screening, according to Dr. Murray Rebner, president of SBI.
"Every year, breast cancer takes too many of our mothers, wives, sisters, and friends," he said. "While these findings cannot bring back those already lost, they clearly demonstrate that mammography saves lives, and many more deaths can be avoided through regular screening."
