Dr. Perry and colleagues reviewed the clinical data available on women from 40 to 50 that had been diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at The London Breast Institute. Between 2003 and 2009, 971 women had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time of diagnosis, 393 (40 percent) of the women were under 50, with 156 of these women completing treatment at the center. Of the treated women, 114 (73 percent) had no prior mammograms. Forty-two women had been previously screened with mammography, of whom 29 had at least one mammogram within the previous two years. Of those, 16 women had a mammogram one year prior.

"We reviewed the records of the women needing mastectomy to determine whether or not they had undergone mammography the previous year," Dr. Perry said. "We were surprised at the degree of benefit obtained from yearly screening in this age group."

Data showed that mastectomy was the required treatment for 3 (19 percent) of the 16 women who had been screened the prior year, compared to 64 (46 percent) of the 140 women who had not been screened in the past year.

"Regular screening is already proven to lower the chance of women dying from breast cancer," Dr. Perry said. "The results of our study support the importance of regular screening in the under-50 age group and confirm that annual mammography improves the chances of breast conservation should breast cancer develop."

Source: Radiological Society of North America