If you are a woman between 45 and 49 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

Breast cancer stage III+ or tumour size ≥40 mm

88
per 100000
90
per 100000
low
certainty

Rate of mastectomies

1080
per 100000
180 fewer
900
per 100000
low
certainty

Breast cancer mortality

623
per 100000
700
per 100000
moderate
certainty

Overdiagnosis


moderate
certainty

False-positive related adverse effects: psychological


low
certainty

False-positive related adverse effects: Biopsies and surgeries


very low
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

Comparison

Mammography screening

Benefits


Harms