How Mammograms Improve Survival but Not Mortality

[lostincalifornia]

17. I agree. I added more comments to my post also, wanting to know the criteria used in reading the

mammograms was used among all the radiologist. In other words, did they use the same standards. Also, there are a lot of variables that are not mentioned, the least of which is density, and if a breast is too dense, they they should utilize an MRI to eliminate a false negative since too dense a breast would be difficult to read.

The age group includes both younger and older women are included in both groups, and that demographic would confuse the issue I would think. There are other factors also, heredity, i.e. does it run in a family, birth control pills, childless women, or women have children later in life, all could be factors also.

No competent physician would ever diagnosis breast cancer on a mammogram alone. It must be confirmed with a biopsy, and unless the biopsy showed a cancer, there would not be treatment. If there was, without a biopsy confirmation, that is malpractice.

The only unnecessary treatment from a false positive mammogram would be a biopsy, which could cause an infection. However, there would NOT be a treatment for a cancer unless the biopsy showed one.

As far as ill effect of mammograms, it is possible, however, one would except to see a significant increase in that, which has not been observed.