A new study published in Radiology reveals a significant increase in U.S. women with breast cancer that has spread elsewhere in the body by diagnosis, affecting all ages and ethnicities between 2004 and 2021. The study’s findings indicate a growing concern, as more late-stage disease means more breast cancer deaths.
According to lead author R. Edward Hendrick, researchers have failed to find breast cancers at early enough stages in U.S. women of all ages. This trend is alarming, affecting both younger and older women, including those over 40.
Data shows a substantial increase in distant-stage breast cancers among women aged 20-39 and 75 and older between 2004 and 2021. Significant upward trends also occurred among women aged 40-74 from 2004 to 2010 and 2018 to 2021.
The study, which analyzed data from 22 cancer registries representing 48% of the U.S. population, found that five-year survival rates for metastatic breast cancers are significantly lower than those for localized and regional invasive breast cancers.
The researchers attributed this trend to factors such as inconsistent guidelines, lack of national screening programs, rising obesity rates, reproductive trends, inadequate access to quality care, and environmental factors. Breast screenings declined sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among older, minority women.
Experts emphasize the need for improved early detection and increased access to screening to combat this trend. Dr. Corey Speers, radiation oncology chair and co-director of the breast cancer program at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, stated that “this study should galvanize us to take action” against gaps in screening.
Source: https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2024/12/10/late-stage-breast-cancer-study/2991733781157