A new study from researchers in the Netherlands and a group of hospitals in the US found the benefits of mammograms outweighs the potential risks. In a new study report released Tuesday, the research team revealed screening for breast cancer among high-risk women is worth the gamble of false positive results.
The research team collected data through the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC), Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) and the Oregon Evidence-Based Practice Center. They found overall the number of life-saving diagnoses far outnumbered the false positive diagnoses that lead to unnecessary surgery. This was especially true among high-risk women in their 40s.
"This research provides important new evidence to support the use of personalized, risk-based breast cancer screening approaches," said Dr. Jean Mandelblatt of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"I know that women want to know what they should do and the message remains unchanged. They should talk about their risk factors and preferences for the harms of screening with their health care providers to make the best decision for themselves."
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