A recent study indicates that women who receive false-positive mammogram results may be discouraged from participating in future screenings. Nonetheless, keeping up with regular screenings is crucial for detecting cancer early.
Detecting breast cancer early through mammography can be life-saving. Unfortunately, some mammogram results show abnormalities, prompting women to undergo further imaging and biopsies that often end up being “false positives.” This means cancer is not actually present. False positives can lead to financial burdens and significant emotional stress for patients.
In a significant new study from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, researchers discovered that women who had false-positive results requiring additional imaging or biopsy were less inclined to return for follow-up screenings.
The study was released in the Annals of Internal Medicine on September 3. It examined over 3.5 million mammograms conducted nationally between 2005 and 2017 on more than 1 million women aged 40 to 73.
“This finding raises important questions about the unintended consequences of false-positive results, as they may lead women to avoid mammograms in the future,” said lead author Diana Miglioretti, a researcher at the cancer center and the chief of Biostatistics at UC Davis.
Researchers express concern over findings
According to the study, 77% of women with a negative mammogram result returned for further screenings. However, this number dropped to 61% after a false-positive result required another mammogram six months later, and to 67% if a biopsy was suggested. The situation was even worse for women who had false positives on two consecutive mammograms recommending follow-up—they only had a 56% return rate for their next screening.
The high percentage of women not returning for follow-up screenings is alarming to the research team.
“It’s crucial for women who receive false-positive results to continue with screenings every one to two years,” Miglioretti mentioned. “Experiencing a false positive, especially if it leads to a benign breast disease diagnosis, is linked with a higher future risk of breast cancer.”
The research also highlighted that Asian and Hispanic/Latinx women were the least likely to return for follow-up mammograms after a false positive, potentially exacerbating existing health disparities.
False-positive results are relatively common, particularly in younger women. About 10-12% of mammograms for women aged 40-49 yield false positives. After ten years of annual screenings, approximately 50-60% of women can expect at least one false positive, and 7-12% will face at least one that comes with a biopsy recommendation.
“It’s essential to realize that most women who are called back for extra imaging due to a mammogram finding do not have breast cancer,” Miglioretti stated. “They shouldn’t feel excessively anxious if recalled for further evaluation; it’s a standard part of the screening process.”
Women should be aware that about 10% of the time, further imaging is needed to clarify a finding from a screening mammogram.
Consider these steps
Miglioretti suggested that women who feel anxious waiting for their mammogram results might ask for an immediate interpretation of their mammogram. Some facilities offer this service alongside same-day diagnostic procedures if any concerning findings arise.
She also emphasized that it’s vital for healthcare providers to clearly explain false-positive results to reassure patients that these results are negative and underscore the necessity of ongoing screenings.
Other authors: Linn Abraham and Erin J. A. Bowles from Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute; Brian L. Sprague from the University of Vermont; Christoph I. Lee from the University of Washington; Michael C. S. Bissell from Picnic Health; Thao-Quyen H. Ho from University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Louise M. Henderson from the University of North Carolina; Rebecca A. Hubbard from the University of Pennsylvania; Anna N. A. Tosteson from Dartmouth; Karla Kerlikowske from the University of California, San Francisco.
Funding:
National Cancer Institute P01CA154292, R01CA266377, R50CA211115; National Institute of General Medicine Science U54GM115516; Residual class settlement funds from April Krueger vs. Wyeth, Inc.
