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Meta-analysis: Mammography increased breast cancer risk for high-risk women under 40
Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting
Exposure to low-dose radiation during mammography increased the risk for developing breast cancer by 1.5 times in women at high-risk for the disease due to genetic or familial predisposition, according to results presented at the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting.
In addition, high-risk women aged younger than 20, or women with five or more exposures were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those not exposed to low-dose radiation.
Marijke C. Jansen-van der Weide, PhD, an epidemiologist in the department of epidemiology and radiology at University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands, presented the results of a meta-analysis today during a press conference at the convention in Chicago. Although mammography has been shown to save lives, she said in a press release, there may be negative consequences associated with repeated exposure to radiation.
“For women at high-risk for breast cancer, screening is very important, but a careful approach should be taken when considering mammography for screening young women, particularly under age 30,” she said. “Further, repeated exposure to low-dose radiation should be avoided.”
Jansen-van der Weide and colleagues reviewed four studies exploring the effect of exposure to low-dose radiation among breast cancer gene mutation carriers, and two studies researching the effect of radiation on women with a family history of breast cancer. Using those data, the researchers calculated pooled odds ratios to estimate radiation-induced breast cancer risk.
Jansen-van der Weide cautioned that these results are based on a small sample size and only applied to high-risk women.
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