(from October 2024 Annals for Educators)
Screening mammography is part of routine well-woman care. It is important to understand how receipt of a false-positive mammography result may influence a woman's decision about whether and when to return for routine screening. This article reports a large cohort study showing that women were less likely to return for subsequent screening mammography after recall for follow-up of a false-positive screening result than after a true-negative result. The accompanying editorial discusses the findings and calls for further research to better understand patient and system factors associated with lower likelihood of subsequent breast cancer screening after a false-positive mammography result.
Use this article and the editorial to:
- Review the decision aid used in this study. Were you previously aware of the information it provides?
- List the potential advantages and disadvantages of starting mammography screening among average-risk women at age 40 years instead of age 50 years.
- Review the meaning of “overdiagnosis.” This article may help guide you.
- Consider how a clinician might counsel a patient after a false-positive mammography result to encourage participation in subsequent screening.
Annals for Educators is a Web Exclusives feature of Annals of Internal Medicine which includes activities using selected Annals articles to help medical educators in their teaching activities.
Back to the November 2024 issue of ACP IMpact