Women who miss their first breast cancer screening appointment face a 40% higher risk of dying from the disease, according to new research from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, tracked around 500,000 women who received their first mammogram invitation between 1991 and 2020, following them for up to 25 years. It found that almost one in three (32%) did not attend their first screening.
Those who skipped the appointment were less likely to attend future screenings, more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and had higher mortality rates. Over 25 years, breast cancer deaths reached 9.9 per 1,000 women who did not attend, compared with seven per 1,000 among those who did.
Researchers said the findings highlight that missing the first appointment may set a long-term pattern with life-threatening consequences. “First screening non-participants had a 40% higher breast cancer mortality risk than participants, persisting over 25 years,” the authors wrote.
Experts in a linked editorial stressed that even if no cancer is detected, attending the first appointment provides vital information about risk reduction and symptom awareness, calling it “a long-term investment in breast health and survival.”
In England, women are invited for screening from age 50 to 71, with a first mammogram expected by age 53. NHS figures show 70% of eligible women were up to date with screening by March 2024, leaving nearly a third behind.
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, warned that “a worryingly high number of women” are missing appointments and urged action to improve access and awareness.
The study comes as separate research predicts cancer deaths will rise nearly 75% to 18.6m globally by 2050, driven by ageing populations, lifestyle factors, and preventable risks such as smoking and poor diet.
In more positive news, scientists announced a breakthrough in pancreatic cancer research, identifying a protein, SPP1, that when blocked could stop the disease from spreading. The discovery, published in Nature, offers hope for new treatments.
