Backing Off From Annual Screening Mammography?

We have become increasingly aware of the potential harms of screening mammography, while cognizant that much of the reduction in breast cancer mortality reflects advances in treatment (NEJM JW Womens Health Nov 21 2012). To clearly communicate the relative benefits and risks associated with screening mammography, investigators used study data from Sweden, Canada, and the U.S. (representing upper- and lower-bound estimates) to quantify the likelihood of three outcomes in women aged 40, 50, and 60: reduction in breast cancer mortality, false-positive results, and overdiagnosis of in situ and invasive breast cancer.

The authors estimate that among 1000 women aged 50 who undergo annual screening for 1 decade, 0.3 to 3.2 fewer deaths from breast …