Screening behavior of women after a false-positive mammogram.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of a false-positive mammogram that leads to open surgical biopsy on subsequent screening mammography behavior in women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed with a retrospective cohort design, and data were collected by means of telephone interview. All participants were women aged at least 50 years, with no history of breast cancer. Study patients (n = 43) were women who had an abnormal mammogram followed within 6 months by benign excisional breast biopsy. Control subjects (n = 136) were randomly selected: They included women with a normal mammogram who had not undergone biopsy, as well as women with an abnormal mammogram and the recommendation to undergo 6-month follow-up mammography. RESULTS: Two differences between the study and control groups were statistically significant. Study patients were more likely than control patients to believe they had increased susceptibility to breast cancer (P = .039). Study patients were also more likely than control subjects...