Health
Breast cancer screenings may decline for women who receive false-positive test results, says study
High rates of false positive test results may be keeping women from sticking to recommended mammogram screenings for breast cancer, a new study has found.
Researchers from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento, California, reviewed more than 3.5 million screening mammograms performed among more than one million women between 2005 and 2017.
Women who received a true-negative result were more likely to return for future screenings, with a 77% compliance rate.
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By comparison, among those who received a false positive, only 61% returned for another mammogram in six months, and 67% returned for a recommended biopsy. (A false positive occurs when a mammogram shows an abnormal result that is investigated further, but does not lead to a cancer diagnosis.)
The women, who ranged in age from 40 to 73, had not previously received a breast cancer diagnosis.
High rates of false positives may be keeping women from sticking to recommended mammogram screenings for breast cancer, a new study has found. (iStock)
The study findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on Sept. 3.
Surprising findings
“We found that women were less likely to return for another screening mammogram if they were recalled for additional imaging that did not result in a cancer diagnosis, especially if that recall resulted in a recommendation for a short-interval follow-up or biopsy or if they experienced false-positive exams on two consecutive screening mammograms,” lead study author Dr. Diana Miglioretti, a professor and division chief of biostatistics in the UC Davis School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences, told Fox News Digital.
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Miglioretti said she was surprised by the findings, as surveys have suggested that women believe they would be just as likely to continue screening even after a false-positive result.
“However, something about the experience seems to influence their actual behavior, and despite their intentions to return, some do not,” she added.
A false positive occurs when a mammogram shows an abnormal result that is investigated further, but does not lead to a cancer diagnosis. (iStock)
Another surprising element, Miglioretti said, was that a false-positive recommendation for a short-interval follow-up — meaning the patient needs to return in six months for diagnostic imaging to evaluate changes in the abnormal finding — had the greatest impact on a woman’s likelihood of not returning for future screenings.
“I initially expected that the probability of returning would be lowest for those who had undergone a benign biopsy,” she said.
“Approximately 10% of screening mammograms require diagnostic work-up, and most women called back for further imaging do not have breast cancer.”
“However, even after following women for five years after a false-positive result, women who received a short-interval follow-up recommendation were the least likely to return for future screening mammograms.”
Asian and Hispanic/Latinx women were least likely to return for future screenings after a false positive.
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“This is extremely concerning, as recent trends have conveyed a much faster rate of growth in breast cancer rates in this demographic than in other ethnic and racial groups,” Dr. Tingting Tan, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and hematologist at City of Hope Newport Beach in California, told Fox News Digital.
(Tan was not involved in the study.)
“There is a 52% rise in breast cancer rates in the last two decades among Asian-American and Pacific Islander women under the age of 50.”
What to know about false positives
A false positive occurs when a mammogram shows an abnormal result that is investigated further, but does not lead to a cancer diagnosis.
“Following the mammogram, the results will either come back as clear (known as a true negative) or will be flagged for additional testing,” Tan said.
Some common causes of false positives include dense breast tissue, small calcium deposits in the breast, overlapping breast tissue that creates shadows or normal variations in breast tissue. (iStock)
Some common causes of false positives, according to UC Davis, include dense breast tissue, small calcium deposits in the breast, overlapping breast tissue that creates shadows, or normal variations in breast tissue.
False-positive results occur in 10% to 12% of mammograms for women between 40 and 49 years of age, UC Davis noted.
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Within a decade of annual screenings, up to 60% of women experience at least one false positive result.
As a breast cancer specialist, Tan said she often hears the term “scanxiety” to describe the fear that is associated with imaging.
“Even a slight possibility of being diagnosed with cancer can be debilitating, and we understand that the follow-up check-ups after an abnormal mammogram can take an emotional toll,” she said.
“If women have concerns about their false-positive result or are unclear of what it means, they should talk with their doctor,” an expert advised. (iStock)
“While it can be distressing to not have a true negative from that initial mammogram, patients should not worry if their doctor orders a breast ultrasound following a mammogram, as it is a very common procedure.”
Asking questions and having open communication with health care providers can help to ease stress and anxiety when there is follow-up to an abnormal screening, Tan added.
Importance of continued screenings
Based on these findings, the researchers emphasized that women who receive false-positive results should continue screening every one to two years.
“A false positive — particularly if it leads to a diagnosis of benign breast disease — is associated with a small increase in developing breast cancer in the future,” Miglioretti said.
“If women have concerns about their false-positive result or are unclear of what it means, they should talk with their doctor.”
Women should also be aware that a screening test often requires further diagnostic evaluation to confirm that a finding is normal, the doctor added.
“A false positive — particularly if it leads to a diagnosis of benign breast disease — is associated with a small increase in developing breast cancer in the future.”
“This is a standard part of the screening process,” Miglioretti told Fox News Digital.
“Approximately 10% of screening mammograms require diagnostic work-up, and most women called back for further imaging do not have breast cancer.”
Tan emphasized the importance of mammograms as the “gold standard” for breast screening.
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“Mammograms can catch cancer at early stages, before symptoms,” she told Fox News Digital.
“They are proven to decrease mortality, which is why almost every patient will begin with a screening mammogram.”
Potential limitations of the study
The researchers only evaluated false positives on the two prior screening mammograms for each woman, the researchers noted.
“Cancer is highly complex, and it is essential to see a radiologist who specializes in reading mammograms,” an expert advised. (iStock)
“Women could have had false-positive mammograms prior to that,” Miglioretti noted.
The study was also limited to 177 facilities participating in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC), which means some women could have received care at non-BCSC facilities.
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“Cancer is highly complex, and it is essential to see a radiologist who specializes in reading mammograms,” Tan advised.
“Early detection is key for better outcomes, which is why it is so important to know your breast cancer risk and to get your regular screenings.”
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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