K. Kerlikowske et al., EFFECT OF AGE, BREAST DENSITY, AND FAMILY HISTORY ON THE SENSITIVITY OF FIRST SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY, JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, 276(1), 1996, pp. 33-38
Objective.-To determine factors that influence the sensitivity of mode
rn first screening mammography. Design.-Cross-sectional. Setting.-Nine
counties in northern California. Participants.-A total of 28 271 wome
n aged 30 years and older referred for first screening mammography to
the Mobile Mammography Screening Program of the University of Californ
ia, San Francisco, from April 1985 to March 1 992, of whom 238 were su
bsequently diagnosed as having breast cancer. Measurements.-Breast can
cer risk profile, 2 standard mammographic views per breast, breast den
sity, and follow-up of abnormal and normal mammography by contacting w
omen's physicians and by linkage to the regional Surveillance, Epidemi
ology, and End Results tumor registry to determine the occurrence of a
ny invasive cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ. Results tumor registry
to determine the occurrence of any invasive cancer or ductal carcinom
a in situ. Results.-For women aged 50 years and older, the sensitivity
of first screening mammography was relatively high and decreased slig
htly with increasing length of follow-up after mammography: 98.5% for
7 months of follow-up, 93.2% for 13 months, and 85.7% for 25 months. S
ensitivity was higher among women aged 50 years and older when breast
density was primarily fatty rather than primarily dense (98.4% vs 83.7
%; P<.01). For women younger than 50 years, the sensitivity of first s
creening mammography also decreased with increasing length of follow-u
p but was significantly lower than for older women: 87.5% for 7 months
of follow-up, 83.6% for 13 months, and 71.4% for 25 months. For women
younger than 50 years, breast density did not affect the sensitivity
of mammography (81.8% for those with primarily fatty breasts vs 85.4%
for those with primarily dense breasts) and was lower among those with
a family history of breast cancer (68.8%). Conclusions.-The sensitivi
ty of modem mammography is highest among women aged 50 years and older
who have primarily fatty breast density. Sensitivity is lowest among
women younger than 50 years and particularly low when the time between
screenings is about 2 years or when women have a family history of br
east cancer, possibly because of rapid tumor growth.