Breast screening
For women who had participated in both of their previous two screening examinations, the incidence of breast cancers proving fatal within 10 years of diagnosis was 50 per cent lower than in women who did not attend either of the last two screening examinations. Compared with women who attended only one of the two previous screens, women who attended both had a significant 22-33 per cent reduction in breast cancer mortality.
Lead author, Professor Stephen Duffy of Queen Mary’s Wolfson Institute, said: “
While there is ample evidence that breast cancer mortality is reduced in those who attend screening, these results demonstrate that repeated attendance confers greater protection than attendance at a single screen. We need to ensure that the screening experience is as stress-free as possible, so that people will come back.”