02.02.2011, 14:53 3641

Obesity hinders breast cancer screening

A new study has found that obesity hinders breast cancer screening, the agency reports.

Almaty. February 2. Kazakhstan Today - A new study has found that obesity hinders breast cancer screening, the agency reports.

Women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer if they are obese, according to a new study in the Journal of Women's Health. Despite having insurance and receiving reminders to get screened, "...a significant portion of the population is not getting screened," according to the study, CNN reported.

The reasons women gave for skipping mammograms are clear-cut, but the solutions are not. Among obese patients, the main reason cited for skipping mammograms was that the test is too painful, yet many women who are not obese also cite pain as a reason for avoiding the test.

Addressing the issue of obese women skipping mammograms has a special sense of urgency, according to the study: "Given the obesity epidemic, the higher incidence and mortality from breast cancer among the obese, and the need for patients to participate in regular screening to achieve desired reductions in mortality, obesity is an exceedingly common and important barrier to mammography."

According to the National Cancer Institute, after menopause, obese women have 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer. Obese women are also at increased risk of dying from breast cancer compared with lean women.

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