According to a University of Copenhagen study published in the British Medical Journal, breast cancer screening is not effective.
A team of researchers found that a screening program in Denmark had no impact.
In the 2005, it was claimed that screening reduced the number of breast cancer deaths by 25%.
Study authors compared Danish regions that have screening programs with regions that do not. They concluded that the mortality rate decreased in both zones. There were even fewer deaths in the regions that did not offer breast cancer screening.
Advances in surgery and in chemotherapy are the reasons why the breast cancer mortality rate has decreased over the past years. It is not because more and more mammographies are being done.
Study authors wrote: "We were unable to find an effect of the Danish screening programme on breast cancer mortality… The mortality reduction is therefore more likely to be explained by changes in risk factors and by improved treatment than by screening mammography. Our results are similar to what has been observed in other countries with nationally organised programmes. We believe it is time to question whether screening has delivered the promised effect on breast cancer mortality."