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New research shows impact of mammography on mortality less significant with current multidisciplinary treatments

September 23, 2010

A front page article in the New York Times describes new research from Norway, comparing breast cancer deaths in countries with and without mammography screening.  The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed much less impact from mammography than expected.  Participation in the Norwegian breast cancer screening program was associated with a 10% reduction in the rate of death from breast cancer among women 50 to 69 years of age.  However, only part of this reduction can be attributed to the screening program, because as countries implemented screening programs, they also developed multidisciplinary teams to treat breast cancer, which also had an impact.  By looking at changes in mortality in groups outside of screening age ranges and looking at historical comparison groups, researchers estimated that at least two-thirds of the improvement in mortality rates was due to differences other than screening mammography.