Study Finds 5% of Breast Tumors Grow Rapidly
Reported June 16, 2008
A study by Norwegian researchers showed that 5% of breast cancer tumors doubled in size within a month, according to Reuters. The study, which showed detection rates at 91% for a 10mm tumor but only 26% for a 5mm tumor, was published in the Journal Breast Cancer Research.
Five percent of tumors in mainly younger women grew from 10mm to 20mm in just over a month in 400,000 women studied between age 50 and 69. Another 5% of tumors took more than six years to grow to the same size, mostly in the older group. The study showed the potential benefits of frequent screenings because earlier detection makes cancer easier to treat.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women throughout the world. The decline in death rates from breast cancer in developed countries has been attributed to early detection and improved treatment, according to the American Cancer Society.