Risks of skipping mammograms

Mammogram results that are false-positive indicate that an abnormality that shows up may be cancer. Due to the fear this can cause, many women in New York may be foregoing additional tests and screenings after they receive their false-positive results. According to breast cancer experts and a study conducted by Illinois researchers, the postponement of additional tests, such as a biopsy or more imaging, can be fatal, as the early detection of cancer is key to receiving effective treatment and saving lives.

Thirty percent of cancers are missed by women over the age of 50 who skip their mammogram every other year. Providing a patient with reassurance that the significant majority of mammograms and biopsy results are normal can go far in alleviating much of the anxiety that surround mammograms.

Approximately 741,000 screening mammograms that were performed on about a quarter of a million women in the Chicago area were examined for the study. An assessment showed that more than 12 percent of the mammograms reported false-positive results.

The data also showed that 15 percent of the women whose mammograms results were negative did not have a follow-up mammogram in the database. However, that figure increased to 22 percent for women who had received false-positive tests results. When compared to women who had multiple mammograms in the database but received false-positive results on their first one, those who had received negative results from the first mammogram were 36 percent more likely to have an additional screening within the next three years. In addition, the average time between the first and second mammograms was 13 months for women who had false-positive results from their first screening.

The failure to diagnose cancer correctly can result in delayed treatment and a worsened medical condition. People who have been harmed by this type of negligent medical treatment may want to meet with an attorney to see what legal options might be available to them.