Women with False Positive Mammograms at Greater Risk for Developing Breast Cancer
For many women, mammograms are a routine part of their healthcare. These screenings can detect breast cancer early and save lives. However, not all mammograms come back clear. Some women receive what is known as a false positive result, meaning that the test indicates the presence of cancer when there is none.
A recent study has found that women who receive false positive mammogram results may be at greater risk for developing breast cancer in the future. The study was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention and conducted by researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The research team analyzed data from over 2 million screening mammograms performed on more than 740,000 women between 1995 and 2017. They found that women who had received at least one false positive result were more likely to develop breast cancer within five years of their last screening compared to those who had only ever received negative results.
Specifically, the study found that among women ages 40-59 with no prior history of breast cancer or biopsy-proven benign breast disease (BBD), those with a false-positive result were about twice as likely to develop invasive breast cancer within five years after their last negative mammogram compared with those whose previous mammogram was negative.
This increased risk persisted even after adjusting for factors such as age, family history of breast cancer, hormone therapy use, and other medical conditions.
The findings have important implications for both patients and doctors. Women who receive a false positive result should be aware of this increased risk and discuss it with their healthcare provider during follow-up appointments. Doctors may also need to consider additional screening measures or preventive interventions for these patients.
It is worth noting that while receiving a false positive result can be stressful and lead to unnecessary procedures like biopsies or MRI scans; it does not necessarily mean someone will develop cancer in the future. However, this study provides evidence that it may be a risk factor worth considering.
In addition to regular mammograms, there are other steps women can take to reduce their risk of breast cancer. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet is one way. Women should also talk with their healthcare provider about any family history of breast cancer or other personal risk factors they may have.
Looking ahead, researchers are exploring new ways to improve breast cancer screening and detection. One promising area of research involves using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze mammogram images.
A recent study published in Nature found that an AI system developed by Google Health was able to detect breast cancer on mammograms with greater accuracy than human radiologists. The system was trained on over 76,000 mammograms from more than 15,000 women in the United States and the United Kingdom.
While this technology is still in its early stages and requires further validation before widespread adoption; it has the potential to improve early detection rates for breast cancer which could ultimately save lives.
In conclusion, while receiving a false positive result on a mammogram can be stressful; it is important for women who experience this outcome to discuss their increased risk for developing breast cancer with their healthcare provider during follow-up appointments. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and discussing personal risk factors with doctors are additional steps women can take towards reducing their overall risk of developing breast cancer. Finally, advances in AI technology offer exciting possibilities for improving early detection rates which will hopefully lead to better outcomes for patients in the future.
References:
1) "False-Positive Mammography Results Increase Subsequent Breast Cancer Risk." American Association For Cancer Research Newsroom. https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/news-releases/false-positive-mammography-results-increase-subsequent-breast-cancer-risk/
2) "Artificial Intelligence Improves Breast Cancer Screening." Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1799-6
3) "Breast Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know." Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/in-depth/breast-cancer-screening/art-20046391
*Note: this site does not provide medical opinions or diagnosis and should not be relied upon instead of receiving medical attention from a licensed medical professional.
