Single-center retrospective study of survival outcomes after first versus later mammogram-detected cancer in young women

A retrospective study at the Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH) investigated survival of women with a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 40-45 year. Almost one-third of patients were diagnosed at their first mammogram. Compared with patients diagnosed at later mammograms, these patients had worse recurrence-free survival after surgery as well as worse overall survival after diagnosis. The authors conclude that among young women with breast cancer, first mammogram-detected cancers were associated with worse survival outcomes compared with subsequent mammogram-detected cancers.