Some less likely to get breast-cancer test

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. women who are elderly, on Medicaid and Medicare or not seeing a gynecologist are less likely to get mammograms, says a study.

"A physician's recommendation is why many women undergo screening in the first place," said Rajesh Balkrishnan of Ohio State University. "Foregoing these exams can increase a woman's risk of developing an advanced stage of breast cancer. There are several reasons why a physician may not give a patient a clinical breast exam or recommend a mammogram."

Using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a database run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the researchers found that women who see an obstetrician/gynecologist for routine checkups were 18 times more likely to receive a clinical breast exam than if they visited any other kind of physician, including internists or family physicians.

Insurance also is a barrier: Medicare and Medicaid pay for at least a portion, but many patients and physicians may not be aware of this, says Balkrishnan.

Women over the age of 75 also have fewer screens, because physicians may feel that early detection and treatment may not be cost-effective and may not help prolong life, according to the study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.