Annual Mammogram Screening Over-Diagnosing Breast Cancer; Concern Rising among Cancer Experts

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Breast cancer screening method is under strict criticism by the cancer experts and the matter has reached to a practical stance by American Cancer Society and other groups that they have changed their recommendation of breast screening time for women.

The data obtained by mammography screening was reviewed at a larger scale and it was found that mammograms lead to considerable over-diagnosis which means screening cancer cells that never needed any treatment in the first place.

The main risk factors in breast cancer cannot be changed by anyone. Getting older for a woman with certain genes changes, raises the risks of cancer for many women but still, many women with the same risk factors do not get any cancer, reports Cancer.

From Europe also similar reports are received. The French National Cancer Institute is launching an inquiry spread over one-year for finding ways to improve the screening. Swiss Medical Board is against routine mammogram screening for most of cancer suspected women.  

Meanwhile, there are records that show positive results of using mammogram screening when it helped saving women's life. Many women find it confusing whether to go for the recommended screening of breast cancer or no.

Annals of Internal Medicine published a new study that brings some facts to light. The first thing is that the data is correct about the screening method. The process of over-diagnosing is screening small and insignificant growth that is not likely to grow into a full cancerous condition. Secondly, the fully formed dangerous tumors that can spread to the other parts of the body are missed, reports Time.

Dr. Karsten Jorgensen, chief of the Nordic Cochrane Center and professor at Rigs Hospitalet finds that "the screening is not picking up cancer that it is supposed to pick up." He adds that screening every two years or every year is not even bringing accurate data for diagnosis.