Does biopsy, aspiration or six-month follow-up of a false-positive mammogram reduce future screening or have large psychosocial effects?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the differences in the psychosocial effects and future mammography screening behavior between women who had an abnormal mammogram followed either by percutaneous or open surgical breast biopsy or cyst aspiration, or by short-term follow-up mammography to provide insight to radiologists making decisions regarding work-up.


METHODS
A structured interview was administered to women who recently had abnormal mammograms, leading to biopsy or aspiration (170 cases), or short-term follow-up (176 controls), by telephone within a month of the eligibility event and again approximately 15 months later. Information was collected on perceived pain/discomfort, interactions with medical staff, emotional impact, general breast cancer knowledge, patient attitude towards early diagnosis of breast cancer, perceived risk, previous and intended screening behavior, and subjective health status. Wilcoxon rank sum statistical test was used to compare the two groups at the time of both interviews.


RESULTS
Cases and controls had similar demographics. There were no significant differences in the examined psychosocial effects and reported intention to undergo future screening mammography between cases and controls. The overwhelming majority of both cases and controls both reported intention to and underwent routine screening 15 months after the eligibility event.


CONCLUSIONS
Undergoing a biopsy, cyst aspiration, or 6-month follow-up after a positive mammogram does not have large psychosocial effects, nor does it deter women from undergoing screening mammography in the future.
Currence
Beverly V
BV
Department of Radiology, Radiology Research Lab, CB # 7515, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Pisano
Etta D
ED
Earp
Jo Anne
JA
Moore
Alexis
A
Chiu
Yen-Feng
YF
Brown
Marylee E
ME
Kurgat
Kerrie L
KL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000523:psychology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000523:psychology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged