Women who are misdiagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to develop breast cancer within the next 20 years. The risk was especially high in women with low breast density. This is reported by scientists from Karolinska Institutet (KI) in a study published in the journal. JAMA Oncology.
The researchers used data from 45,000 women whose mammograms were false positive and 452,000 women of the same age who were screened for breast cancer in Stockholm. They found that women who were misdiagnosed with breast cancer during screening had a 60% higher risk of actually being diagnosed with breast cancer within the next 20 years.
The risk was higher for four to six years after a false-positive result. Additionally, the odds of being diagnosed with cancer were highest in women between the ages of 60 and 75 and in women with low breast density.
Breast cancer screening allows you to detect the tumor at an early stage when the chances of cure are high. Approximately 3% of women receive a false positive result when breast cancer screening is performed using mammography. Given the increased risk of breast cancer in people with a false-positive diagnosis, regular screening may be particularly important for them. However, follow-up tests (e.g., biopsy), which are often invasive, and waiting for a definitive diagnosis can cause anxiety and cause women to avoid screening.
Previous scientists I learnedWhich medications can reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in women?