According to a paper in the Medical Journal of Australia, the reductions seen in deaths from breast cancer in that country since 1991—regarded to be anywhere between 21 and 28 percent—have little to do with the publicly-funded BreastScreen program, and much to do with improvements in breast cancer treatment.
Researchers Robin Bell and Robert Burton called for the women of the country to be offered a more balanced view of early detection and treatment in breast cancer than the one presented by the government, a view which included the distinct possibility of overdiagnosis.
According to a supporting 2010 study, for every 2000 women invited for screening over a period of a decade, the life of just one woman would be prolonged, while as many as 10 healthy women would receive a breast cancer diagnosis and undergo treatment unnecessarily.
Australia's Cancer Council disagreed with the researchers, claiming that for women between 50-69, mammography screening had reduced breast cancer mortality by as much as 47 percent.
Source: Medical Journal of Australia
The information provided on CancerTreatment.net is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her health professional. This information is solely for informational purposes and does not constitute the practice of medicine. We encourage all visitors to see a licensed physician or nutritionist if they have any concerns regarding health issues related to diet, personal image and any other topics discussed on this site. Neither the owners or employees of CancerTreatment.net nor the author(s) of site content take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading this site. Always speak with your primary health care provider before engaging in any form of self treatment. Please see our Legal Statement for further information.
