Don’t skimp on breast cancer screening.
The efficacy of mammography has been called into question before, but a new study might put that debate to rest.
The findings reveal that regular mammograms contributed to a 60 percent decrease in breast cancer death during first 10 years of diagnosis, and a 47 percent reduced risk within 20 years.
The report, led by Queen Mary University of London and co-authored by the American Cancer Society, tracked 52,438 Swedish women aged 40-69 from 1977 to 2015.
The study concludes that women who are screened and treated for cancer at an earlier stage have significantly increased odds of survival.
Sure, that might sound like a no-brainer — but researchers insist the data marks a major breakthrough.
“These new results demonstrate the vital role that screening also has to play, giving women a much greater benefit from modern treatments,” says senior author Stephen Duffy in a statement, whose report appears in the American Cancer Society’s journal, Cancer.
“We need to ensure that participation in breast screening programs improves, especially in socio-economically deprived areas.”