Letter

Ramifications of screening for breast cancer: 1 in 4 cancers detected by mammography are pseudocancers

BMJ 2006; 332 doi: 10.1136/bmj.332.7543.727 (Published 23 March 2006)
Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:727.1

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  1. H Gilbert Welch, professor of medicine (h.gilbert.welch@dartmouth.edu),
  2. Lisa M Schwartz, associate professor of medicine,
  3. Steven Woloshin, associate professor of medicine
  1. VA Outcomes Group, White River Junction, VT 05009, USA

    EDITOR—In this issue Zackrisson et al report on follow-up data from the Malmö mammographic screening trial and conclude that the rate of overdiagnosis of breast cancer was 10%.1 They do not, however, calculate the risk we believe is most relevant to women considering mammography: What is the chance that a screen detected cancer represents overdiagnosis?

    After 15 years of follow-up, there were 1320 diagnosed in the screened …

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