- Screening mammography in women 80 years or more was linked with significantly better overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.417) and disease-free survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.376).
- Screened patients were more likely to present with ductal carcinoma in situ or early-stage disease, while unscreened patients more often had symptomatic, palpable, larger, and higher-grade tumors.
- Screened women underwent breast-conserving surgery more frequently (82.4% vs 60.6%), while unscreened women more often required mastectomy or no surgery.
- Radiation therapy was administered more often in the screened cohort (43% vs 20%), reflecting stage and surgical differences.
- Despite age 80 years or more, screening was associated with less advanced disease at presentation and improved outcomes, suggesting a role for individualized screening discussions in this population.
Source: Annals of Surgical Oncology
