Will screening mammography in the East do more harm than good?

Am J Public Health. 2002 Nov;92(11):1841-6. doi: 10.2105/ajph.92.11.1841.

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to systematically review the evidence for population-based mammography as applied to a Chinese population.

Methods: Primary reports for meta-analysis were identified by a search of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library. Outcome measures included breast cancer-related mortality, the number needed to be screened to prevent 1 death, and the positive predictive value of mammography.

Results: Pooled relative risk for breast cancer-related death in the screened group was 0.80 (95% confidence interval = 0.71, 0.90). Applied to Hong Kong, this figure translates into a number needed to screen of 1 302 healthy women screened annually for 10 years to prevent 1 death.

Conclusions: Evidence is insufficient to justify population-based breast cancer screening by mammography for women in Hong Kong and other Asian populations with low breast cancer prevalence.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast Neoplasms / ethnology*
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data*
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Female
  • Hong Kong
  • Humans
  • Mammography / standards
  • Mammography / statistics & numerical data*
  • Mass Screening / standards
  • Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk Assessment*
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Treatment Outcome
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*
  • Women's Health*