Woman, for many years, have been told to have screenings done for breast cancer. They were told the earlier it is detected the better. Today, researchers said evidence suggests that may not always be the case. A recent study in Norway says that from 15 to 25% of breast cancers detected by mammograms would not have been a cause for concern during the woman’s lifetime.
Nevertheless, those tumors were receiving treatment. Early tumors, once detected, are removed surgically and sometimes are being treated with chemotherapy or radiation since there is not an exact way to determine which are dangerous and which are not.
This study is the latest one to explore routine mammogram over diagnosis – finding tumors that either do not grow or are slow in growing that would not have been a problem for the woman in her lifetime.
They researchers estimate that for every 2,500 women who received screening, one death can be prevented from breast cancer, but between 6 and 10 women will receive over diagnosis and be treated.
The doctors involved in the study said women must be informed better by doctors about the possibilities that mammograms can locate cancers that will never threaten the life of the patient. The problem is doctors have a hard time determining which tumors will be dangerous and which ones will not.
