Health
Annual breast cancer screenings linked to lower risk of death, study finds
Making breast cancer screenings an annual event could save women’s lives, new research suggests.
In a study led by Epic Research, a health analytics firm based in Verona, Wisconsin, women who were screened for breast cancer on a yearly basis were shown to have a 17% lower risk of death by any cause compared to those who received screenings every two years, according to a Jan. 4 press release.
“Vulnerable populations have a greater risk of mortality following a breast cancer diagnosis than less vulnerable populations,” Kersten Bartelt, a Wisconsin-based registered nurse and member of Epic’s clinician team, told Fox News Digital.
“Annual breast cancer screenings may help to lower this risk.”
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This finding could call into question the updated screening guidelines released by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in May 2023.
It recommended that women between the ages of 40 and 74 get screened every other year.
Women who were screened for breast cancer on a yearly basis were shown to have a 17% lower risk of death compared to those who received screenings every two years, according to a new study. (iStock)
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women between the ages of 45 and 54 should get mammograms every year, while women between 40 and 44 also have the option to do so.
For women 55 and older, ACS guidance is to get a mammogram every other year, unless they choose to continue with annual screenings.
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In the Epic study, researchers evaluated 25,512 women between 50 and 74 years of age.
All participants had been diagnosed with breast cancer between Jan. 1, 2018, and August 1, 2022, and were not considered at high risk prior to getting the disease.
Compared to those who were screened every two years, the annually screened group had a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality after their diagnosis.
The study also said that women who are Black, over age 60, live in a “socially vulnerable area” or live in a rural area are more vulnerable to all-cause mortality after being diagnosed with cancer compared to women who are not in those groups.
Nicole B. Saphier, M.D., associate professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the Epic study but shared her reactions. (Fox News)
Nicole B. Saphier, M.D., associate professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering in Monmouth, New Jersey, as well as a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the Epic study but shared her reactions.
“This is a really interesting analysis and certainly supports annual mammograms,” she told Fox News Digital.
The American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging recommends annual mammography beginning at age 40 for “normal-risk women,” which Saphier also endorses.
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“Annual mammograms starting at the age of 40 increase our ability to capture more aggressive breast cancer that forms prior to menopause, and therefore give the patient the best chance at survival because early detection and treatment saves lives,” she said.
Saphier did point out one limitation of the study. She said it does not account for the association of different lifestyle choices between women who get mammograms every year and those who do so every other year.
The American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging recommends annual mammography beginning at age 40 for “normal-risk women.” (iStock)
“Women who get mammograms every year may be more active and aware regarding their personal health screenings and preventative care, therefore contributing to better outcomes after breast cancer diagnosis,” noted Saphier.
The Epic researchers also acknowledged the study’s limitations.
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“We were not able to adjust for all factors that may increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer, breast cancer complications or mortality, such as lifestyle factors,” said Bartlet.
FILE: A doctor exams mammograms, a special type of X-ray of the breasts, which is used to detect tumors as part of a regular cancer prevention medical check-up at a clinic in France. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
“Additionally, the factors that resulted in a patient choosing to screen annually instead of biennially were not included in this study.”
To determine the appropriate frequency of screening, Bartelt said women should consult with their health care provider to weigh the harms and benefits as well as their personal risk factors.
Other than skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common type of women’s cancer in the U.S., accounting for about 30% of all new female cases each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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