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Do mammograms miss fewer breast
cancers in women with a family history of breast cancer (mother,
sister or daughter)? |
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Mammograms appear to miss a similar proportion of breast
cancers in women with a family history of breast cancer and other women.
Although mammograms can find most invasive breast cancers, they miss some
and the proportion missed is higher in younger women than older women regardless of family history.
If 100 women under age 50 without a family history and with invasive breast
cancer have a mammogram for the first time, the cancer will show up on the
mammogram in about 70 of these women. The other 30 women with breast cancer
will have normal mammograms. Findings are similar for women with a family
history of breast cancer.
If 100 women over age 50 without a family history and with
invasive breast cancer have a mammogram for the first time, the cancer will
show up on the mammogram in about 85 of these women. The other 15 women
with breast cancer will have normal mammograms. Again, findings are similar
for women with a family history of breast cancer.
Thus, the proportion of cancers missed by mammograms is mostly influenced
by the age of the woman. Mammograms miss about the same proportion of cancers among
women of similar age regardless of family history.
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References:
Kerlikowske K, Grady D, Barclay J, Sickles EA, Ernster V. Effect
of age, breast density, and family history on the sensitivity of first
screening mammography. JAMA 1996;276:33-38.
Kerlikowske K, Carney P, Geller B, Mandelson MT, Taplin S, Malvin
K, Ernster V, Urban N, Cutter G, Rosenberg R, Ballard-Barbash R. Performance
of screening mammography among women with and without a first-degree
relative with breast cancer. Ann Intern Med 2000;133:855-863
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