Is a Mammogram Worth it? | DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, Esquire

For decades women have been advised to undergo mammograms to screen for breast cancer.  Routine exams, especially after age 50,  are highly recommended.  It was recently reported in a New York Times article, however, that British medical experts came to the conclusion that mammographies may do more harm than good.  The so-called experts suggest that for every life saved by the procedure at least one other person is forced to endure unnecessary and invasive procedures to treat slow-growing cancers that would otherwise cause no harm if left untreated.

Many experts, including the American Cancer Society, dispute the British claim, and urge women with usual risks (ie, family history of cancer, over age 50) to utilize mammograms as part of their routine screening for breast cancer.  On balance, the benefits of early detection outweigh the risks associated with under-treatment.

To view the Times article, click here.

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