Screening mammography  and mortality

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04799.x

Topics

To the Editor: Life expectancy in developed countries increased by an average of about 20 years during the 20th century. An editorial in the Journal by Rodger referred to mortality in populations having screening mammography.1 Data quoted indicated that there had been only slight changes in breast-cancer mortality in Australia up to 1996.

Correspondence:

1. Rodger A. Is it worth screening women over 70 for breast cancer — or indeed any women? [editorial] Med J Aust 2002; 176: 247-248. <MJA full text>

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of death, Australia, 1999. Canberra: ABS, 2000: 91 pp. (Catalogue No. 3303.0.)

3. Peto R, Boreham J, Clarke M, et al. UK and USA breast cancer deaths down 25% in year 2000 at ages 20-69 years. Lancet 2000; 355: 1822.

4. Nyström L. Assessment of population screening: the case of mammography. Monograph. Umeå, Sweden: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, 2000: 106 pp.

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