Currently the AmericanCancer Society, the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging recommend that women age 40 and
over should have annual screening mammography and should continue as long as
they stay in good health. While several international societies such as the Hellenic Society of Breast Imaging follow the above mentioned recommendations, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in
their circular issued in November and updated in December 2009 recommends screening mammography every two years starting at age 50 to 74.
In a follow up article, the British Medical Journal published 34 commentaries regarding the study
“Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the
Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomized screening trial” by Miller
AB, Wall C, Baines CJ, To T and Narod SA published on February 11, 2014. Their study that was summarized in my previous post concluded that annual
mammography in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast cancer
beyond that of physical examination or usual care when adjuvant therapy for
breast cancer is freely available. They
also found an over-diagnosis of 22%.
As the Canadian National Breast Screening study is a prospective and randomized trial, it will influence medical and lay thinking, it is therefore important its findings and all 34 thoughtful comments and rebuttals should be studied carefully before
practitioners and specialists alike formulate an opinion and deviate from the
current recommendations by medical societies with expertise in breast cancer.