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An open letter to panels that are deciding guidelines for breast cancer screening

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Abstract

Panels are presently reviewing breast cancer screening guidelines. It is critical that they understand which publications are scientifically valid, and which analyses are methodologically flawed and not valid. The scientific evidence clearly supports annual mammography screening beginning at the age of 40. The analyses that suggest that screening leads to overdiagnosis of invasive breast cancers are flawed and incorrect. There is little if any overdiagnosis of these cancers. The vast majority of breast cancers occur in women who are not at elevated risk so that excluding them from screening and only screening high risk women will deny the benefits of early detection to most women who develop breast cancer. Guidelines panels should not make decisions that exclude women from screening. Women should be provided with accurate information so that they can make informed decisions and have unimpeded access to screening if that is their preference.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Kopans has no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Daniel B. Kopans

  2. Breast Imaging Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Avon Breast Center Suite 240, Wang Ambulatory Care Center, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Daniel B. Kopans

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Correspondence to Daniel B. Kopans.

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Kopans, D.B. An open letter to panels that are deciding guidelines for breast cancer screening. Breast Cancer Res Treat 151, 19–25 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-015-3373-8

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