Early diagnosis saves US women with breast cancer

WOMEN in the US have higher survival rates for breast cancer than women in Europe because they are diagnosed with the disease earlier, according to the latest research.

The number of women with breast cancer surviving more than five years after diagnosis in the US is 89% compared to 79% across Europe.

But until now it has been unclear why survival rates should be so different, suggesting that treatments and access to healthcare may be to blame.

An international team of researchers, including Professor Michel Coleman of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, set out to examine why survival rates differed so greatly.

They analysed data from 4,478 women with cancer in the Eurocare study of cancer survival trends alongside 13,182 women recorded in a similar US surveillance scheme.

The researchers found a greater proportion of early-stage tumours among the US women than the Europeans 41% compared to 29%.

Early treatment of breast cancer greatly improves survival rates as it can be treated before it has the chance to spread to other parts of the body.

The team also found a greater proportion of elderly women than young women in the US were diagnosed at an early stage 43% of over-65s compared to 38% of younger women.

The situation was reversed in Europe, with early-stage tumours more commonly diagnosed in younger female sufferers 31% of under-65s compared to 25% of older women.

The research suggests screening programmes and awareness of the signs of breast cancer among women are better in the US, allowing tumours to be picked up at an earlier stage.

It could also be that there is less of a delay between a woman visiting her doctor with suspicions of a breast lump and a diagnosis being made.

Professor Coleman said more resources are needed to ensure earlier diagnosis of breast cancer in Europe.

The research is published in the online journal, Cancer.