PMID: 15356688Sep 10, 2004Paper

Overdiagnosis in mammography screening

Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række
Per-Henrik Zahl, Jan Maehlen

Abstract

In Norway and Sweden, the introduction of mammography screening programmes has been associated with about a 50% increase in breast cancer incidence for the screened age groups and almost stable incidence in higher age groups. This suggests that mammography screening results in a substantial degree of overdiagnosis. In a prospective cohort study of the Norwegian mammography programme we recorded the incidence of breast cancer among women aged 50 to 69 years offered mammography screening as well as the incidence of interval cancer among those attending, and breast cancer among those not attending. We used these data to calculate the incidence of cancer detected by screening among those screened. The incidence of invasive cancer at second and third screening is 2.4 times higher than expected. We estimated that only 42% of the screening-detected invasive cancers would have developed into clinical disease in the absence of a screening programme. When ductal carcinoma in situ is added, only 34% of the screening-detected cancers would have developed into clinical disease. Two thirds of breast cancers detected by screening are overdiagnosed.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Carcinoma, Ductal

Ductal carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm involving the ductal systems of any of a number of organs, such as the mammary glands, pancreas, prostate or lacrimal gland. Discover the latest research on ductal carcinoma here.

Cancer Incidence & Mortality

Cancer has emerged as a global concern due to its increase in incidence and mortality. Efforts are underway to evaluate and develop action plans to reduce the global burden of cancer. Currently, lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer are the leading causes of cancer mortality. Here is the latest research on cancer incidence and mortality.

Related Papers

European Journal of Cancer : Official Journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
Donella PulitiEugenio Paci
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne
Andrew Coldman, Norm Phillips
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved