Strategies for Improving Sensitivity of Screening Mammography for Women Aged 40 to 49 Years

Excerpt

Reduction of mortality due to breast cancer among women aged 40 to 49 years represents a major challenge and opportunity for mammographic screening. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 1995 alone, some 33 800 women aged 40 to 49 years were diagnosed with breast cancer. This is 19% greater than the number of women who were diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 59 years (28 300) and 18% fewer than the number of women diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 69 years (41300).¹ It has been estimated that almost 20% of all deaths due to breast cancer and 34% of all the expected years of life lost due to breast cancer result from breast cancers found among women aged 40 to 49 years.²

See also pp 33 and 39.

Proof of benefit from screening women in any age group can come only from a randomized