Patterns of failure for resected advanced head & neck cancer treated by concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy: an analysis of RTOG 9501/intergroup phase III trial

Conclusions: Women aged 40 or older diagnosed with breast cancer with an age-adjusted mammogram frequency on average at least annually were more often diagnosed with noninvasive stage 0 breast cancer than women with less frequent screening or no prior mammography. Women with any history of mammography prior to time of diagnosis also presented with earlier stage invasive disease and smaller tumor size. This was associated with greater eligibility for breast conservation and less frequent recommendation for mastectomy for women with prior mammogram screening. This study confirms the benefits of regular mammographic screening for women 40 years or older, and supports an annual interval for most often detecting the most curable stage 0 form of breast cancer.