J Natl Cancer Inst

Screen-detected breast cancers show markedly better survival at advanced stages

February 20, 2026

A Danish cohort study of more than 817,000 women (2010–2022) found substantially higher 5‑year net survival for screen‑detected stage IV breast cancer—74.7%, compared with much lower survival in never‑screened or symptomatic cases. Survival differences across detection routes were minimal for stages I–III but reached 40% at stage IV. Treatment patterns differed markedly: 67% of screen‑detected stage IV patients underwent surgery vs. 23% of never‑screened and 27% of symptomatic ever‑screened patients. Authors note that relying on stage alone to model mortality may underestimate screening’s impact.

Clinical takeaway: When counseling eligible patients, underscore that organized mammography screening not only shifts diagnosis to earlier stages but is also linked with better stage‑specific survival in large population cohorts.

Source:

Tickle A, et al. (2026, February 19). J Natl Cancer Inst. Improved stage-specific survival in screen-detected breast cancer in Denmark: a cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41707694/