If you are a woman between 40 and 44 years old, should you attend an organised mammography screening programme?
Research results
Events per 100 000 women
Outcomes
Mammography screening
Happens to 100000 people
No mammography screening
Happens to 100000 people
Certainty of the evidence
Breast cancer stage IIA
46 fewer
334
per 100000
380
per 100000
very low
certainty
certainty
Breast cancer stage III+ or tumour size ≥40 mm
88
per 100000
90
per 100000
low
certainty
certainty
Rate of mastectomies
1080
per 100000
180 fewer
900
per 100000
low
certainty
certainty
Breast cancer mortality
623
per 100000
700
per 100000
moderate
certainty
certainty
Overdiagnosis
moderate
certainty
certainty
False-positive related adverse effects: psychological
low
certainty
certainty
False-positive related adverse effects: Biopsies and surgeries
very low
certainty
certainty
*Cross-sectional data from the EUNICE Project (women aged 50 to 69): 17 countries, 20 screening programmes, 1.7 million initial screens, 5.9 million subsequent screens