Elderly women benefit from mammograms

NEW YORK, April 14 (UPI) -- A U.S. study suggests that women 70 and older benefit from yearly mammograms to help detect breast cancer.

Researchers at Jacobi Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine reviewed the mammographies of 24 cases of breast cancer in 22 patients 70 to 89 and correlated the results to surgically proven histology and lymph node involvement.

"Our initial interest was sparked by the changing mammographic guidelines in the elderly age group and the differences in the guidelines between organizations, including the American Cancer Society and American College of Radiology," lead author Dr. Jason Salsamendi said.

"During our study, we found that five patients never had a prior mammogram. Their breast cancer was detected on a baseline study. These five patients included three cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma."

The study results encourage clinicians to continue to order screening mammography in elderly patients at yearly intervals, Salsamendi said.

The study is scheduled to be presented as an electronic exhibit during the American Roentgen Ray Society's annual meeting in Washington this week.