Now you have another reason to bypass subsequent mammograms, based on a new study from Norway. As outlined by the study by Doctor Mette Kalager, with his staff at Oslo School Medical Center, having a mammogram seems to reduce the potential risk of death from breast cancers by a measly 2% at best – a number many think is statistically irrelevant.
For this study, females between ages 50 through 69 that were asked to get mammogram tests – and were also provided quality treatment from a group of experts, experienced a breast cancer death reduction of about 10%. Yet an identical number of females older than seventy, that were given the exact treatment, but weren’t motivated to get a mammogram found an 8% reduction, indicating mammograms are practically pointless.
In addition, the study showed for every 2,500 females age 50 and above that get mammograms, just one can prevent dying from cancer of the breast as a result of the test. Approximately 1,000 nevertheless, will likely be told there could be a concern, leading to 500 getting biopsies. At the end, about 15 women will be getting treatment unnecessarily for a condition they don’t have.
Research posted in Internal Medicine Archives, a publication of the AMA, showed that mammograms in effect increase the risks of women acquiring breast cancer. In 4 different Norwegian counties, researchers saw the rates of breast cancer increase after mammograms were introduced, along with similar increases also showing across Europe.
Other research has shown that nearly all cancerous tumors discovered through mammography are rarely malignant, which results in costly and needless interventions.