Among women who have an abnormal result, the majority does not have breast cancer.
Most of the time when a result is abnormal mammogram, there is no breast cancer. About one woman in 20 who had mammograms is carrying an anomaly which requires further examinations.
Among 100 women under the age of 50 who have an abnormal mammogram result, approximately 3 will indeed cancer. The 97 others who have an abnormal mammogram result of lack of breast cancer. This means that almost all the women who have abnormal results are not breast cancer.
Among 100 women over the age of 50 who have an abnormal mammogram result, about 14 will actually cancer. This means that almost all the women who have abnormal results are not breast cancer. However, as breast cancer is more common among older women, women with abnormal results which have 50 and over had a greater probability of having breast cancer than those under the age of 50.
References
Kerlikowske K, J. Barclay Outcomes of modern screening mammography. Monogr Natl Cancer Inst 1997; 22:105-111
Kerlikowske K, Grady D, Barclay J, Sickles EA, Eaton A, Ernster V. Positive predictive value of screening mammography by age and family history of breast cancer. JAMA 1993; 270:2444-2450.
Brown ML, Hown F, Sickles EA, Kessler LG. Screening mammography in community practice: positive predictive value of abnormal findings and yield of follow-up diagnostic procedures. Am J Roentgenol 1995; 273:1373-1377.
May DS, Lee NC, Nadel MR, Henson RM, DS Miller. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program: report on the first 4 years of mammography provided to medically underserved women. Am J Roentgenol. 1998; 170:97-104
