Breast screening participation and degree of spread of invasive breast cancer at diagnosis in mental health service users

Women living with mental health conditions may not have shared in improvements in breast cancer screening and care. A population based study in New South Wales (Australia) investigated the association of breast screening participation and degree of spread of invasive breast cancer at diagnosis in mental health services users. More than half of these users had regional or metastatic spread at diagnosis (versus non-users aOR 1.63; 95% CI 1.41-1.89). However, advanced cancer was more common even when adjusting for screening status (aOR 1.53; 95% CI 1.32-1.77). The authors conclude that low screening participation rates explain only a small part of the risk of more advanced breast cancer in women who use mental health services.