Possible net harms of breast cancer screening: updated modelling of Forrest report.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the claim in a Cochrane review that mammographic breast cancer screening could be doing more harm than good by updating the analysis in the Forrest report, which led to screening in the United Kingdom.

Design

Development of a life table model, which replicated Forrest's results before updating and extending them with data from relevant systematic reviews, trials, and other models based on purposive literature searches.

Participants

Women aged 50 and over invited for breast cancer screening.

Main outcome measures

Quality adjusted life years (QALYs), combining life years gained from screening with losses of quality of life from false positive diagnoses and surgery.

Results

Inclusion of the effects of harms reduced the updated estimate o

SUBMITTER: Raftery J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3234304 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature