Mammography benefits might be overestimated: study

The benefits of mammographic screening are likely to have been overestimated, as statistics showed that it was not associated with the decline of advanced breast cancer rates, according to a study released Wednesday by the King's College London.

Started in the 1960s and 70s, the Swedish randomised trials suggested that mammography screening could reduce breast cancer mortality by 20 to 25 percent in populations where screening is widespread.

These findings were extremely influential in decisions taken to establish population breast cancer screening programs using mammography.

However, numerous studies in North America, Europe and Australia have shown that the rates of advanced breast cancer have not declined in countries where most women regularly attend mammography screening, according to the study.

Researchers from King's College London and University of Strathclyde are involved in the study.

Researchers said the overestimation of mammography resulted from the use of an unconventional statistical method which differed from that used for other cancer screening trials.

The reduction seen in the mortality from breast cancer in many countries is one of the major contributions to Cancer Control in recent times, and many factors have contributed to this success including earlier presentation and better diagnosis, said Peter Boyle, Professor and Director of the University of Strathclyde.

These findings has "major implications" for policy-makers in middle income countries who are now making decisions about where to prioritize cancer screening efforts, said Professor Richard Sullivan, from King's College London. Endit