30 Sep Norwegian Study Reignites Mammogram Debate

ImagingBiz.com | September 24 – Routine breast screening with mammograms packs a less-than-expected effect on preventing cancer deaths, according to a study by Norwegian researchers that once again sparks a fierce debate over its value.

Published this past week in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study takes into account data from 40,075 women and tracks the reduction in cancer deaths as a screening program was expanded throughout Norway, beginning in 1996. It also coincided with improved treatment for patients. The study’s authors concluded that inviting women in ages 50 to 69 to undergo routine mammograms and offering them better care from a team of experts helped cut their breast cancer death rate by 10%. However, they noted that the death rate in women over 70 – a group that also received better care but was not urged to have mammograms – decreased by 8%, indicating that the mammograms only produced a slight benefit. Moreover, researchers stated, the rate of reduction in mortality with mammograms fell far short of the 30% they had anticipated before undertaking the study.

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