Frontline: False-positive mammogram; dementia risk; blockage-related heart attack
False-Positive Mammogram Result May be Warning of Later Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Women who get a false-positive mammogram result have a higher chance of getting breast cancer later on, according to a study. The risk of a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis is highest for women between ages 60 and 75, in the four to six years immediately following the incorrect result. A false-positive mammogram result occurs when the test suggests the presence of cancer when there is no cancer. This can be caused by various factors, such as benign (noncancerous) lumps, calcifications, or other conditions that may appear suspicious on a mammogram. False-positive results can lead to additional tests, such as biopsies or imaging studies. The study looked at data from over 45,000 women who initially got a false-positive result, as well as over 450,000 women whose results were negative. The researchers say their findings reinforce the need for consistent, long-term follow-up in women who have had false-positive mammogram results.
Positive Personality Traits May Reduce Dementia Risk
People with positive personality characteristics were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those who had negative personality characteristics, according to a review of data on 44,000 people from eight separate studies. Researchers evaluated information about positive characteristics such as how conscientious, extroverted, and open to new experiences people were, as well as negative characteristics such as how anxious, fearful, and irritable people were. High scores on negative traits and low scores on positive traits were associated with a higher risk of dementia diagnosis. They compared those results to symptoms of dementia from cognitive tests and brain pathology (from autopsies) and found no physical distinctions in the brains to indicate why a positive frame of mind was associated with a lower risk of dementia. They suspect that positive personality traits could make people more able to cope with and work around cognitive impairments.
Stress Levels Are Worse in Women Who Have Blockage-Related Heart Attack
Stress and depression were common among women at the time of heart attack and for two months after, according to a study of close to 500 female patients who completed questionnaires measuring their stress and depression symptoms, at the time of their heart attack and again two months later. The study also showed that women who had heart attacks due to coronary artery blockages had higher stress levels than those who had heart attack without a blockage. Little is known about what causes heart attack in patients who do not have an arterial blockage, and this study suggests that reducing stress may be a preventive strategy. The findings highlight the need for heart disease patients to be screened for mental health issues including stress, anxiety, and depression.
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