Superior Cancer Screening?

By Health Day

Story Created: Oct 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 3, 2012 at 7:00 AM CDT

It is estimated that nearly 40-thousand women in the U.S. lost their lives to breast cancer in 2011, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 Ñ especially in patients under 50.

That positive trend is believed to be because of better treatments, and early detection.

Mammograms are the preferred diagnostic test...but according to a new study, digital mammograms, may be a better tool than screen film for detection.

Researchers in the Netherlands looked at more than 1 million tests with nearly 19-thousand patients called back for a second look.

The more sensitive, digital mammography improved detection of life-threatening cancer by a full 8-percentage points... and it did so without increasing detection of low-grade lesions, which can lead to possible over-diagnosis.

The study -just published online in the journal Radiology-concludes that digital mammography is substantially better than screen film mammography. I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news doctors are reading, health news that matters to you.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 250 Characters Left

FOX 55/27 Illinois and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Weather

Icon
82.0 F (28.0 C)
A Few Clouds
Humidity : 51 %
Wind : Northwest at 9.2 MPH (8 KT)
More Weather

What's on FOX Illinois Full Schedule

7:00
So You Think You Can
9:00
NewsChannel at 9 on Fox
9:35
Two and a Half Men
10:05
The Big Bang Theory
10:35
Everybody Loves Raymond
Full Schedule