<<Print>>

Up to one-in-four breast cancers detected by screening would never have gone on to be fatal or cause any symptoms, US researchers say. Their study based on 39,888 women in Norway said between 15% and 25% of breast cancers were "overdiagnosed". They said this led to unnecessary treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In England, the evidence for screening is being reviewed amid controversy about the measure's effectiveness. Health bodies around the world work on the principle that breast cancer screening saves lives. However, some researchers have argued that it may cause more harm than good. A review of clinical trials involving a total of 600,000 women concluded it was "not clear whether screening does more good than harm".