Viewpoint: It is time to reconsider policy for population-based mammography screening

Breast cancer in women is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Many countries in the Western world have widely promoted early detection through mammography screening and established population-based screening programs. Over the past 15 years, there has been growing debate about the benefits and harms of universal mammography screening. This article presents findings from the latest systematic review conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration and from the Canadian National Breast Screening Study 25-year follow up. The authors of both reports conclude there is no reliable evidence that population-based mammography screening reduces mortality, but there is good evidence of harm in the form of false positive findings, over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment, and associated psychological distress. It is time for policymakers to discontinue universal population-based mammography screening and shift to a more selective approach to early detection.