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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More women are choosing not to get their annual mammograms. A new study finds since the year 2000, mammography rates have declined significantly in the United States.
Regular mammography is said to be the most effective screening test for the early detection of breast cancer. Doctors say the widespread use of mammography since the 1980s has led to a reduction in the number of women who die from breast cancer.
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Some state and local studies have recently reported a decline in mammography rates. Nancy Breen, Ph.D., from the National Cancer Institute, reviewed data from the National Health Interview Survey from 1987 to 2005 to estimate national mammography screening rates. The research reports a steady increase in mammography for women older than 40 from 1987 to 2000, but then the number stayed the same from 2000 to 2003. Breen says in 2005 the screening rates fell by 4 percent. She adds that some of the sharpest drops were seen in women between 50 and 64 years old.
Interestingly, this decline in screening coincides with a drop in the incidence of breast cancer. Breen says researchers are concerned that some of the decline in breast cancer incidence could be due to fewer mammogram screenings. They recommend continued monitoring of trends in incidence, screening and the underlying factors.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: CANCER, published online on May 14, 2007
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