New Study Finds that Fewer U.S. Women Are Getting Mammograms

According to a report by federal researchers that was released today, the percentage of U.S. women getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer has begun to drop after steadily rising for decades. The study, released by the National Cancer Institute along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), reveals that the overall rate that women are getting mammograms fell 4 percent between 2000 and 2005, the first decline since mammograms became standard practice in 1987.

While breast cancer experts speculated as to the cause of this trend, they all seemed to be alarmed by the fact that fewer women are getting mammograms. More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and at least 40,000 die from the disease annually. Mortality rates have been improving because mammograms tend to catch the disease in earlier, more treatable stages. However, according to Nancy Breen of the American Cancer Society, "If women are not getting mammograms, then their cancer may not be diagnosed until later stages, which could translate into higher mortality from breast cancer."

According to the study, which consisted of a survey of 10,000 women, just 66 percent of women stated that they had gotten a mammogram in the last two years when asked in 2005, compared with 70 percent of women who answered the question in the year 2000. Experts believe that one reason this is happening is because less women are taking hormone replacement therapy, a practice that was found to increase the chance of heart attack and stroke. Because they are not taking hormones, some experts say, these women believe that their risk of breast cancer has declined.

Another possible explanation is the increasing shortage of mammography facilities in the United States. Some women may have to wait weeks or even months before they can be scheduled for a mammogram. This frustrating experience, coupled with our increasingly busy lives, means that many women simply choose to skip the mammogram or they put it off longer than they should.

Finally, some women have been confused by recent media reports that have questioned the benefits of mammography. However, experts counter that these reports only deal with women who are between the ages of 40 and 50, and that the benefits of mammography have been well established for women over the age of 50. According to Constance Lehman, a professor of radiology at the University of Washington, "A mammogram is the best thing a woman can do to reduce her chances of dying from breast cancer."

Source: Washington Post - "Fewer U.S. Women Getting Mammograms" - May 14, 2007 -http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18646146/