Breast cancer screening saves two women for every one who receives needless treatment, a study suggests (David Rose writes). Critics say screening leads to unnecessary treatment, but the study, by the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine & Dentistry, found 5.7 deaths were prevented for every 1,000 women screened. Stephen Duffy, who led the study, said: “This shows that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.”
I think this is carrying sisterhood too far, though I have no doubt that some of the women who receive unnecessary treatment (which may stretch to mastectomy, chemo & radiation therapy) feel happy to have made their contribution to the cause.
And all together now: Death is never prevented, merely postponed.
Links
The Jobbing Doctor: It's complicated
Benefits of breast cancer screening outweigh the harms, study
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine & Dentistry
The Jobbing Doctor: It's complicated
Benefits of breast cancer screening outweigh the harms, study
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine & Dentistry
