Mammograms aimed at finding breast cancer might actually raise
the chances of developing it in young women whose genes put them at higher risk
for the disease, a study by leading European cancer agencies suggests.
The study did not prove a link between the radiation and breast cancer, but is one of the biggest ever to look at the issue. The research was published on Thursday in the journal BMJ.
Mammograms are most often used in women over 40, unless they are at high
risk, like carrying a mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
Having such a mutation increases the risk of developing cancer fivefold.
About one in 400 women has the gene abnormalities, which are more common in Eastern European Jewish populations.
Having such a mutation increases the risk of developing cancer fivefold.
About one in 400 women has the gene abnormalities, which are more common in Eastern European Jewish populations.
Unlike mammograms, an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging scan,
does not involve radiation.
