Key clinical point: Continued breast cancer (BC) screening leads to the detection of a higher number of BC cases which may increase the risk of BC overdiagnosis in women age ≥ 70 years.
Major finding: The cumulative incidence of BC was 6.1 vs 4.2 cases per 100 screened vs unscreened women age 70-74 years, and the rate of BC overdiagnosis was estimated to be 31%. The estimated rates of BC overdiagnosis increased to 47% and 54% in women age 75-84 years and ≥85 years, respectively, and screening did not improve BC-specific mortality in any of these age groups.
Study details: This retrospective cohort study evaluated 54,635 women from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare (SEER) registry who were age ≥ 70 years and underwent screening.
Disclosures: This study was funded by the US National Cancer Institute. Some authors declared receiving grants, salary support, or research funding from various sources, including the National Cancer Institute.
Source: Richman IB et al. Estimating breast cancer overdiagnosis after screening mammography among older women in the United States. Ann Intern Med. 2023 (Aug 8). doi: 10.7326/M23-0133