Women who skip their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease, according to a major Swedish study.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute analysed data from about 500,000 women invited for their first mammogram between 1991 and 2020, with follow-up over 25 years. Nearly one in three (32%) did not attend their initial appointment.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found non-attendees had a breast cancer mortality rate of 9.9 deaths per 1,000 women over 25 years, compared with seven per 1,000 among those screened. These women were also more likely to skip future screenings and be diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer.
The researchers concluded that the higher death risk stemmed from delayed detection rather than increased incidence, noting: “First screening non-participants had a 40% higher breast cancer mortality risk than participants, persisting over 25 years.”
US experts, writing in a linked editorial, said the findings showed a first screening was “far more than a short-term health check” and should be seen as a long-term investment in survival.
In England, women aged 50 to 71 are invited for regular screening, with the first invitation sent before age 53. NHS data shows 70% of eligible women were up to date with breast checks as of March 2024, leaving nearly one in three unscreened.
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, warned that “a worryingly high number of women” were missing their first appointment and urged action to improve access and awareness.
The study comes as global cancer rates are projected to surge. Research published in The Lancet predicts annual cancer deaths will rise 75% to 18.6 million by 2050, with new cases up 61% to 30.5 million, driven by ageing populations and lifestyle-related risks such as smoking, poor diets and high blood sugar.
In separate research offering hope, scientists at London’s Institute of Cancer Research identified a protein, SPP1, as a key driver of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the deadliest form of pancreatic cancer. Blocking the protein in experiments prevented cancer spread and prolonged survival, raising prospects for new targeted treatments.
