Breast cancer screening reduces the number of women dying from the disease by 28 per cent, new research suggests.
However, some experts claim that the programme’s benefits are ‘modest at best’.
And, the Norwegian study revealed that improvements in treatment will probably mean a reduction in the overall benefits of screening over time.
Breast cancer screening reduces the number of deaths from the disease by 28 per cent (file picture)
Lars Vatten, Professor of Epidemiology at the Department of Public Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said: ‘In our study, the estimated benefit for breast cancer mortality - 28 per cent - associated with invitation to mammography screening indicates a substantial effect.’
However, he added that there is a danger of over-diagnosis and that this can cause distress and unnecessary treatment.
As a result, the researchers called for women to be given balanced information to help them make informed decisions about screening.
The researchers set out to evaluate the effectiveness of modern mammography screening by comparing the effects on breast cancer death rates among screened and unscreened women.
They analysed data from all women in Norway aged 50 to 79 between 1986 and 2009 - the period during which the Norwegian mammography screening programme was gradually implemented.
Death rates of women invited for screening and those not were compared, making a clear distinction between cases of breast cancer diagnosed before - without potential for screening effect - and after - with potential for screening effect- the first invitation for screening.
As treatment improves, the absolute benefits of the screening will fall, the researchers believe
They also used a model to estimate how many women aged 50 to 69 would need to be invited to screening every two years to prevent one breast cancer death during their lifetime.
Among all of the women studied, breast cancer deaths occurred in 1,175 of the women invited to screening and in 8,996 of the women who were not invited.
After adjusting for factors such as age, area of residence, and underlying trends in breast cancer mortality, the researchers estimate that invitation to mammography screening was associated with a 28 per cent reduced risk of death from breast cancer compared with not being invited to screening.
Using the model, they also estimated that 368 women aged 50 to 69 would need to be invited to screening every two years to prevent one death from breast cancer during their lifetime.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Campaign, said: ‘This study adds to existing evidence that breast screening saves lives.
‘Diagnosing breast cancer quickly is vital, as the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chances of survival.
‘An independent review on breast screening in 2012 concluded that breast screening does save lives but also noted the risk of over-diagnosis as a result of screening.
‘It’s therefore welcome that women are now receiving more detailed information in the form of the new breast screening leaflet to support them to make an informed decision about whether to attend screening.
‘12,000 women sadly still die from breast cancer every year, which is why we have launched our campaign ‘Spread the word’, to ensure we continue the fight against breast cancer.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2660371/Breast-cancer-screening-reduces-number-women-dying-disease-28-benefits-programme-modest-best.html#ixzz351x8F5zf
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