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Julia Holmgren

Impact of Mammographic Screening on Breast Cancer Mortality during 3 Decades

Kenechukwu Osude - Department of Family Medicine




With cancer diagnosis and mortality affecting patients and families alike, the need arises for consistent preventative measures for those who may be more susceptible to certain cancers. For example, breast cancer is unique in that it is more common in women. As women age, they become more likely to develop breast cancer; however, one preventative measure that has consistently aided preventive medicine is the mammogram.


The Swedish Two-County Trial was a randomized controlled trial in the late twentieth century. The study enrolled over a hundred thousand women (ages 40-74) to randomly invite them for mammograms or usual care every two to three years. The initial published results in 1984 discovered mammograms to be associated with a 31% decrease in breast cancer mortality and a 25% reduction in stage II+ breast cancers. According to the recently updated journal, after almost three decades, “the number of women needed to undergo screening for 7 years to prevent one breast cancer death was 414 according to local data and 519 according to consensus data. Most prevented breast cancer deaths would have occurred (in the absence of screening) after the first 10 years of follow-up” (Tabár et al., 2011). The reduction of mortality and exacerbation of individuals with breast cancer indicates the value of primary care physicians inviting patients to undergo screenings. Preventive medicine screenings provide the potential for modern healthcare to intervene for the patient.



References:

Tabár, L., Vitak, B., Chen, T. H.-H., Yen, A. M.-F., Cohen, A., Tot, T., Chiu, S. Y.-H., Chen, S. L.-S., Fann, J. C.-Y., Rosell, J., Fohlin, H., Smith, R. A., & Duffy, S. W. (2011). Swedish two-county trial: Impact of mammographic screening on breast cancer mortality during 3 decades. Radiology, 260(3), 658–663. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.11110469

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