New analysis points to low overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening
When women take part in breast cancer screening, they are informed that screening may detect cancers that would never have caused symptoms or problems during their lifetime. This is known as overdiagnosis.
A new analysis of data from breast cancer screening trials suggests that overdiagnosis may be less common than previously thought. Overdiagnosis occurs when cancer is detected through screening but would not have caused symptoms or problems during a woman's lifetime. The study, published in the JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, pooled data from eight randomized controlled trials of mammography screening.
Researchers combined and reanalyzed this evidence, taking into account factors that can affect estimates of overdiagnosis, such as the timing of cancer detection and variations in follow-up care between trial groups. The analysis indicates that excess breast cancer diagnoses in these trials more closely match what would be expected in Danish routine screening data, where overdiagnosis is estimated to be below 5%.
This is significantly lower than previous estimates of 30%–50% overdiagnosis. The researchers emphasize that accurate understanding of overdiagnosis is crucial for women to make informed decisions about breast cancer screening, as it helps them weigh the potential benefits against the small risk of unnecessary treatment.
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