Breast density and outcome of mammography screening: a cohort study

A H Olsen, K Bihrmann, M-B Jensen, I Vejborg, E Lynge

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of breast density on breast cancer (BC) mortality in a mammography screening programme. The cohort included 48 052 women participating in mammography screening in Copenhagen, Denmark, where biennial screening is offered to women aged 50-69 years. We collected information for the years 1991-2001 on screening outcome, incident BCs (screen-, interval-, and later detected), and BC deaths. Breast density was dichotomised into fatty (F) and mixed/dense (M/D) breasts. Screening sensitivity was measured as the odds ratio of interval versus screen-detected cancer for dense versus F breasts. Poisson regression was used to estimate the ratios for BC incidence, case fatality, and mortality between women with M/D and F breasts. For women with M/D breasts, the odds ratio of an interval cancer was 1.62 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.14-2.30), and the age-adjusted rate ratios were 2.45 (95% CI 2.14-2.81) for BC incidence, 0.60 (95% CI 0.43-0.84) for case fatality, and 1.78 (95% CI 1.17-2.72) for BC mortality. The study shows that BC in women with M/D breasts is more frequent, but on average less severe, than in women with F breasts.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBritish Journal of Cancer
Volume100
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)1205-8
Number of pages3
ISSN0007-0920
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

Bibliographical note

Keywords: Aged; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Incidence; Mammography; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Poisson Distribution; Receptors, Estrogen

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