A new study examining the benefits of mammograms have produced startling results.
One in eight women are going to develop breast cancer in their lifetime. To combat breast cancer, research has shown that breast cancer screening traditionally prevents the advancement of the disease. It is believed that breast cancer screening would make people feel better and live longer lives. But, a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has many questioning the benefits of mammograms.
Denmark scientists examined the association between mammograms and the size of the detected tumors in order to determine how often physicians overdiagnosed their patients. After analyzing data from 1980 to 2010 and women between the ages of 35 to 84, researchers discovered that breast cancer screening did not reduce incidences of advanced cancer.
Ultimately, researchers assert mammograms screening did not lower incidences of advanced tumors nor did it lower the mortality rate associated with breast cancer.
Despite the results of the study, since 1990, the breast cancer mortality rate has dropped by 34%. However, African American women had the lowest survival rates of breast cancer in comparison to any other racial or ethnic group.
On Monday, a study published in the journal of Cancer found that Obamacare eliminated the costs and and expenses associated with preventative health care, including mammograms. Consequently, the number of mammograms increased under President Obama’s Affordable Healthcare Act. The lead author in the study, Dr. Gregory Cooper explained the removal of out-of-pocket costs made it easier for people to get preventative care.
With more than 200,000 cases in the United States every year, breast cancer traditionally affects women and in some rare instances affecting men. Symptoms include lumps, bloody discharge, and changes to the shape of the nipple or breast. But, new technology is being developed to detect cancers and other diseases. Last month, researchers revealed that they were able to detect 17 diseases by only examining someone’s breath and using AI sensors.