Benefits & difficulties of screening

 

Benefits:

1- Women who undergo breast cancer screening mammograms have demonstrated significantly reduced deaths from the disease.

2- There is a better chance of treating the cancer successfully.

3- There may be more treatment options.Breast conserving surgery is possible.

 

Possible harms:

1- Over-diagnosis and treatment of insignificant cancers.

2- Breast screening occasionally misses a cancer (false negative).

3- Additional testing (false positives).

4- Radiation-induced mutations can cause breast cancer

 

Difficulties:

1- Breast screening cannot prevent cancer

2- Having a mammogram could be uncomfortable for some women

3- False positive results may cause unnecessary worry.

4- Mammograms sometimes need to be repeated.