[Jackie07]

Found this statement on an Irish Health care site. I think it is the type of information most of us are familiar with. Mammogram had contributed to a 2.3% annual decline for 'all' women and had greater decrease for women 50 years and older.

"A mammogram is a safe, low-dose X-ray that can detect irregularities in the breast, sometimes even before you or your doctor can feel a lump. A high-quality mammography has the ability to detect cancer before the physical signals are present. Multiple studies have shown that they save lives and increase treatment options. Women that have their annual mammogram screening are 30% less likely to die from breast cancer when compared to unscreened women. From 1990-2000, mortality rates declined 2.3% per year for all women and an even greater decrease per year for women 50 years and under. This is the result of both early detection and improved treatment."

Why has it suddently become 'unsafe', 'unreliable', and 'do it only when you feel a lump' is hard to understand. I will welcome any new, improved method whether or not it was developed by special interest group or benefit certain promoter. But before we've got another reliable (and hopefully as inexpensive as mammogram) method, I would think it's prudent to continue the type of guideline that encourages early detection. Because it saves lives. '30% less likely to die' is not a statement to be ignored.