It is the expected norm within the medical community that women — especially those over 40 or with a family history of breast cancer — should get their annual mammography without fail. But how effective of a tool is it in actually saving lives? According to a recent study by an international team of researchers at various European institutions, the answer is that it’s not especially effective. Breast cancer screening was not shown to have a major impact on the reduction of breast cancer mortality in the recent past. While the mortality rates from breast cancer have certainly gone down in most developed countries in the last two decades, it would seem that the lower numbers might not be attributable to mammography.
It is the expected norm within the medical community that women — especially those over 40 or with a family history of breast cancer — should get their annual mammography without fail. But how effective of a tool is it in actually saving lives? According to a recent study by an international team of researchers at various European institutions, the answer is that it’s not especially effective. Breast cancer screening was not shown to have a major impact on the reduction of breast cancer mortality in the recent past. While the mortality rates from breast cancer have certainly gone down in most developed countries in the last two decades, it would seem that the lower numbers might not be attributable to mammography.
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