New Study Shows Obese Women Need Regular Mammograms

At the yearly meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, a new study was presented that found that women that are obese are likelier to have breast cancer detected later in the progression of the disease than non obese women.

The research was led by Dr. Danielle Haakinson at the Mayo Clinic, located in Arizona. She stated that although the tumors were larger in the overweight women, they weren’t as likely to find them in self examination. Most of the cancer in the obese women, had the diagnosis by use of a mammogram. Haakinson said it suggests that tumors are are more difficult to feel in the overweight women.

This research also revealed that the survival rate was lower in the obese women. It could be due to late diagnosis of the disease or other health issues associated with a patient being obese that could possibly contribute to the mortality rate.
This study shows the importance of mammograms for overweight women. Dr. Haakinson stated that this information must be shared with obese women and it must also be shared with their doctors. She also said in other studies, it is shown that overweight women are not as likely to have regular screenings.

At the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, the study participants included 327 women that were considered obese according to their body mass. Also included, were 1025 women not considered obese. The women were treated for invasive breast cancer beginning in 2000 until 2008.

Dr. Haakinson noted that there are already links between being overweight and breast cancer. She said now not only are they at higher risk for getting breast cancer, they are also being diagnosed at a later stage of the disease.