Breast screening - lives saved outweigh overdiagnosis

A Europe-wide review of breast cancer screening has concluded that the benefits in lives saved outweigh the risks of overdiagnosis. Reported in the  BMJ by Nigel Hawkes, the study carried out by a working group from nine European countries, showed that for every 1000 women between the ages of 50 and 69 who are screened, between seven and nine lives are saved and four women are “overdiagnosed.” The conclusion contradicts that of critics of breast cancer screening, who have argued that the number of women damaged by false positive findings exceeds the number who benefit by having their cancers detected earlier.

The original report of the study can be found in the Journal of Medical Screening, Summary of the evidence of breast cancer service screening outcomes in Europe and first estimate of the benefit and harm balance sheet" by Eugenio Paci.  J Med Screen September 2012 vol. 19 no. suppl 1 .  

Contact your health library for the full text of these reports.