http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7339/695/a

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BMJ 2002;324:695 ( 23 March )

News

WHO insists screening can cut breast cancer rates

Zosia Kmietowicz, London

Mammography helps to cut deaths from breast cancer in older women by about a third, agree experts assembled by the World Health Organization, hoping to put an end to the uncertainties that over the last two years have surrounded the value of screening.

The 24 experts from 11 countries, convened this month by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, dismissed the work of Danish investigators published in January 2000 and October 2001 that claimed that mammography did not save lives and could actually be harmful (Lancet 2000;355:129-34 and 2001;358:1340-2).

In women aged 50-69, mammography reduces the chances of dying from breast cancer by about 35% the group estimates, although in younger women there is only a slight benefit.

The Danish researchers, who are associated with the Cochrane Collaboration, had criticised the scientific basis of many of the major trials used worldwide to support national breast cancer screening programmes. But the WHO group, which re-examined the original studies, claims that the data do provide sufficient evidence that mammography saves lives in older women.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has approved the use of the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) in combination with paclitaxel (Taxol) for women with advanced breast cancer. Taxol has been available for use on its own for this group of women for some time, but the new combination is expected to improve survival rates in women with a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer.    

(Credit: WWW.BODYWORLDS.COM)   Body Worlds, an exhibition of anatomical and whole body specimens, opens this week at the Atlantis Gallery, Brick Lane, London. According to the exhibition organisers, surveys have shown that 50% of visitors pay more attention to their physical health afterwards. For opening times telephone 020 7053 0000

© BMJ 2002
 

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Collections under which this article appears: Other Public Health Cancer: breast

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