50 Percent of Breast Cancer Deaths Occurred in Women Under 50 Years Old

An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Cliche, right? Maybe. But it’s really common sense. And there’s some truth behind this and other timeworn aphorisms like it. Two recent studies confirm that early detection can be a big plus, especially for women between 40 and 49.

The journal, Cancer, published a study just last September illustrating how important early detection through mammograms can be. Previous studies show a range of benefits, but this one, involving 7,301 patients, discovered that 71 percent of confirmed breast cancer deaths happened in the 20 percent of the women who didn't get regular mammograms. In fact, 50 percent of breast cancer deaths occurred in women under 50. Most who died from breast cancer never had a mammogram.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.28199/abstract

These findings were reinforced earlier this month when researchers from University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine published findings in the American Journal of Roentgenology comparing two groups of women between 40 and 49: those being screened and women with symptoms. After reviewing 230 primary breast cancers, the study concluded that women between 40 and 49 who underwent routine screening mammography were diagnosed earlier with smaller tumors. They were also less likely to require chemotherapy.

http://www.medimaging.net/radiography/articles/294750653/for_younger_women_study_
reveals_mammography_saves_lives.html

Being careful and proactive about screening for breast cancer isn’t about paranoia, nor is it something to put off. Mammograms, which take so little time, can give you the chance to have and spend so much more of it with your friends and loved ones.

Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology is the leading breast imaging facility on Long Island, featuring 3D mammography, groundbreaking technology that generates 3D images of the breast that gives physicians better views through overlapping breast tissue. Studies demonstrate that 3D mammography is superior to conventional mammography in detecting cancer and lowering the risk of false-positives. ZPR is the only radiology practice using all Hologic 3D machines -- the gold standard in 3D mammography -- in every location.