Older women and breast cancer screening: research synthesis. 2004

Suzanne S Yarbrough
Department of Chronic Nursing Care, School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA. syarbrough@excelsior.edu

OBJECTIVE To identify the most beneficial ways to support older women as they make screening decisions using a systematic, epidemiologic, narrative review of research regarding benefits and burdens of breast cancer screening and treatment. METHODS Medical and nursing research databases emphasizing women aged 60 and older. RESULTS Older women can tolerate screening and treatment, yet they are underserved. The most frequently cited reason to explain this phenomenon is declining health status associated with aging. Research evidence does not support this claim. No evidence clearly describes relationships among health status, aging, and less screening or less aggressive treatment. CONCLUSIONS Older women experience varied health problems. However, indications that they are less able than their younger counterparts to tolerate screening or treatment for breast cancer do not exist. CONCLUSIONS Further research in all aspects of breast cancer care in older women is required to define and describe risks and benefits of screening within a context of aging and changing health. Nurses should discuss the risks and benefits of screening with older women.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008017 Life Expectancy Based on known statistical data, the number of years which any person of a given age may reasonably be expected to live. Life Extension,Years of Potential Life Lost,Expectancies, Life,Expectancy, Life,Life Expectancies
D008327 Mammography Radiographic examination of the breast. 3D-Mammography,Digital Breast Tomosynthesis,Digital Mammography,X-ray Breast Tomosynthesis,3D Mammography,3D-Mammographies,Breast Tomosyntheses, Digital,Breast Tomosyntheses, X-ray,Breast Tomosynthesis, Digital,Breast Tomosynthesis, X-ray,Digital Breast Tomosyntheses,Digital Mammographies,Mammographies,Mammographies, Digital,Mammography, Digital,X ray Breast Tomosynthesis,X-ray Breast Tomosyntheses
D008403 Mass Screening Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease. Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011788 Quality of Life A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral, social environment as well as health and disease. HRQOL,Health-Related Quality Of Life,Life Quality,Health Related Quality Of Life
D012107 Research Design A plan for collecting and utilizing data so that desired information can be obtained with sufficient precision or so that an hypothesis can be tested properly. Experimental Design,Data Adjustment,Data Reporting,Design, Experimental,Designs, Experimental,Error Sources,Experimental Designs,Matched Groups,Methodology, Research,Problem Formulation,Research Methodology,Research Proposal,Research Strategy,Research Technics,Research Techniques,Scoring Methods,Adjustment, Data,Adjustments, Data,Data Adjustments,Design, Research,Designs, Research,Error Source,Formulation, Problem,Formulations, Problem,Group, Matched,Groups, Matched,Matched Group,Method, Scoring,Methods, Scoring,Problem Formulations,Proposal, Research,Proposals, Research,Reporting, Data,Research Designs,Research Proposals,Research Strategies,Research Technic,Research Technique,Scoring Method,Source, Error,Sources, Error,Strategies, Research,Strategy, Research,Technic, Research,Technics, Research,Technique, Research,Techniques, Research
D001943 Breast Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST. Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly

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