Study finds modest benefits of screening mammography

Researchers from the Cancer Registry of Norway and colleagues reported data from an analysis of 40,075 women with breast cancer from the Norwegian breast cancer screening program showing that screening mammography only accounted for about a third of the total reduction in the rate of death from breast cancer. The analysis showed that in women ages 50-69, the rate of death was reduced by 7.2 deaths per 100,000 person-years in patients living in counties with screening as compared to a historical screening group. In patients living in counties without screening, the rate of death was reduced by 4.8 deaths per 100,000 person-years as compared to a historical non-screening group. Thus, only 2.4 deaths per 100,000 patient years could be attributed to screening alone. ...