Fall in mortality from breast cancer is partly due to screening

There has been much recent debate as to whether the falls in mortality from breast cancer since 1990 have been due to improvements in treatment, screening, or other factors. Blanks et al (p 665) examined mortality from breast cancer in England and Wales from 1971 and concluded that between 1990 and 1998 there has been a real decrease of 21.3% in mortality in women aged 55-69 after allowance for cohort effects. Of this fall, 6.4% is attributed to screening and 14.9% to other factors including improvements in treatment. The authors explain that further substantial reductions in mortality from screening and other factors can be anticipated.

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Relevant Article

Effect of NHS breast screening programme on mortality from breast cancer in England and Wales, 1990-8: comparison of observed with predicted mortality

R G Blanks, S M Moss, C E McGahan, M J Quinn, and P J Babb
BMJ 2000 321: 665-669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]