Breast Cancer Screening Completion Less Likely in Women With Schizophrenia

Fewer women with schizophrenia complete breast cancer screening than women without schizophrenia, according to results of a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Schizophrenia is associated with a 10- to 25-year shorter life span, compared with no presence of schizophrenia. Cancer has been identified as an important contributor to the shorter life expectancy.

This retrospective case-control study was conducted using data from the ICES, which houses and provides health data from Ontario, Canada, for evaluation of health services for resource allocation planning. 

Data from women who reached age 50 years between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, were included in this analysis. Researchers matched, in a 1:10 ratio, 11,631 women with schizophrenia (cases) and 115,959 women without schizophrenia (controls). The primary outcome was completion of breast cancer screening within 2 years after their 50th birthday.

Among the 2 groups, 34.8% of cases and 34.9% of controls were in the lowest income quintile and 8.7% and 8.6%, respectively, lived in a rural community.

Compared with the control group, fewer women in the cases group underwent mammography within 2 years after (69.3% vs 77.1%; P <.001) or prior to (55.6% vs 63.2%; P <.001) their 50th birthday.

Compared with the general population, women in the cases group also were less likely to undergo breast cancer screening within 2 years after (odds ratio [OR], 0.67; P <.001) or prior to (OR, 0.73; P <.001) their 50th birthday.

Stratified by primary care payment models, the cases group were less likely to complete screening with fee-for-service (OR, 0.57; P <.001), enhanced fee-for-service or Family Health Groups (OR, 0.79; P <.001), and non-Family Health Team Family Health Organizations (OR, 0.86; P <.001), compared with the Family Health Team model.

This study was limited by not having access to data about patient-level information such as race and ethnicity.

“Given that cancer mortality is one of the most substantial factors of mortality in people with schizophrenia, efforts to increase breast cancer screening rates are essential,” the study authors concluded.

Disclosures: One study author declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures. 

Reference

O’Neill B, Yusuf A, Lofters A, et al. Breast cancer screening among females with and without schizophrenia. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(11):e2345530. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.45530