A recent study, monitoring 500,000 women in Sweden, discovered that women who missed their initial mammogram appointment had a 40% higher risk of dying from breast cancer over a 25-year span compared to those who attended their screening. The results, provided by experts at the Karolinska Institute and published in the British Medical Journal, also showed that women who did not attend their first screening were likely to skip future screenings and have their breast cancer diagnosed at a more advanced stage.

Interestingly, the overall rate of breast cancer was similar among those who attended screenings and those who did not. The researchers noted: “First screening non-participants had a 40% higher breast cancer mortality risk than participants, persisting over 25 years. If early screening behavior predicts later stage diagnosis and mortality risk, it could offer a valuable chance to identify high-risk populations long before negative outcomes appear.”

The study’s authors stressed their key message: “Missing the first screening should be treated as an early, actionable predictor of preventable breast cancer mortality.

“Current screening programs fail to adequately target this high-risk group, permitting continued disengagement from preventive care and heightening the chances of late-stage diagnoses and death. This highlights a significant missed opportunity for intervention.”

They criticized the healthcare system’s passive strategy in motivating women to partake in breast cancer screenings, stating that it results in those missing appointments being “largely untouched” and thus facing a greater risk of breast cancer mortality.

They proposed implementing some cost-effective measures, like automatically setting a second, fixed-date appointment for those who did not attend their first screening or providing brief telephone coaching to boost mammography screening participation.

In England, women are typically invited to their first breast cancer screening between the ages of 50 and 53. They’ll continue to receive invitations every three years until they reach 71.

These screenings can detect breast cancer early, even before a lump is noticeable, which enhances the chances of successful treatment and survival.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in the UK. The risk of developing it escalates with age and women over 50 account for the majority of cases, however, it’s possible for men, non-binary and trans people to develop the disease at any age.

According to NHS data, as of March 2024, 70% of eligible women had been screened. While this represents a 3.6% increase from the previous year, it also implies that potentially one in three women had not attended their appointments.

Certain individuals are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. This includes those with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, as well as those carrying gene mutations such as BRCA1, BRCA2 or TP53.