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Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomised screening trial

BMJ 2014; 348 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g366 (Published 11 February 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g366

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Re: Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomised screening trial

I don't get it. The only patients diagnosed in the study by screening had a 7.8% better 25 year breast cancer specific survival.

Mammograms diagnose earlier smaller cancers and prevent many deaths. This study supports that. What do the 6000+ patients diagnosed after the brief screening period have to do with the study results? How unconscionable to have discontinued screening. Why not one year of screening and 25 years of follow up without screening? How would you expect to see a difference in outcomes?

Competing interests: No competing interests

01 May 2014
Paul A. Lindholm
radiation oncologist
Fairview Range Medical Center
750 e. 34th st