Xeromammographic screening: is it helping?

We have reviewed our experience with xeromammography over a five-year period in a setting where there is no protocol for mammographic screening. Only 8.9% of breast carcinomas were found by xeromammography alone, a ratio substantially smaller than that found in large screening programs. While 80% of the occult carcinomas were localized, only 47% of women with palpable disease had localized tumors. It appears that screening mammography is underused, and that more localized tumors would be detected if more mammograms were ordered.