Breast cancer screening debate

The ABC Health and Wellbeing website has included a precis of the current debate from researchers about whether or when to screen for breast cancer.  Breast cancer: to screen or not to screen gives a good summary of the prevalence of the disease, the problems of over-diagnosis and the importance of early diagnosis.  It seems the research is mixed, and a recent Canadian study published in the BMJ concluded that annual mammography in women aged 40-59 did not reduce mortality from breast cancer and 22% (106/484) of screen detected invasive breast cancers were over-diagnosed.

Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomised screening trial is an open access article by Anthony B. Miller et al.  BMJ 2014;348:g366