Researchers followed over 89,000 women for 25 years to track the effects of mammograms versus clinical exams on breast cancer mortality rates.
The number of breast cancer diagnoses for women in the mammography arm of the trial and the control arm of the trial were similar, at 3,250 and 3,133, respectively. Of those diagnoses, 500 women in the mammography arm died of breast cancer and 505 women in the control arm died of breast cancer, indicating no statistically significant difference in mortality rates if the cancer is detected by mammography or in a clinical exam.
Researchers note there were an additional 106 cancers diagnosed in the mammography arm of the study that they attribute to over-diagnoses, meaning a screen-detected cancer does not become clinically present during the woman’s life.
Researchers suggest the value of mammography screening be reassessed.
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