This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Law, J Articles by Faulkner, K Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Law, J Articles by Faulkner, K

Cancers detected and induced, and associated risk and benefit, in a breast screening programme

¹Edinburgh University Department of Medical Physics, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU and ²Quality Assurance Reference Centre, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne NE4 6BE, UK

Current cancer detection rates and dose levels in the UK Breast Screening Programme are used to compare numbers of cancers detected with numbers predicted to be induced by the screening process itself. Numbers of those detected are shown to exceed those induced by a large margin for women aged over 50 years. The associated benefit/risk ratio is also considered. For younger women this margin is progressively reduced but remains positive at least down to age 40 years, and possibly beyond. Women both with and without a family history of breast cancer are considered. Some implications for familial breast screening programmes are discussed. Some caution may be required before annual screening of women below the age of 35 years.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Faulkner Ethical concerns arising from screening procedures such as mammography and self-referral Radiat Prot Dosimetry, July 1, 2009; 135(2): 90 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Berrington de Gonzalez, C. D. Berg, K. Visvanathan, and M. Robson Estimated Risk of Radiation-Induced Breast Cancer From Mammographic Screening for Young BRCA Mutation Carriers J Natl Cancer Inst, February 4, 2009; 101(3): 205 - 209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Faulkner, M.G Wallis, F Neilson, and C.J. Whitaker EVALUATION OF THE POPULATION DOSE TO THE UK POPULATION FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE BREAST SCREENING PROGRAMME Radiat Prot Dosimetry, May 14, 2008; (2008) ncn081v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E L Nickoloff and P O Alderson A comparative study of thoracic radiation doses from 64-slice cardiac CT Br. J. Radiol., July 1, 2007; 80(955): 537 - 544. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. L. Smathers, J. M. Boone, L. J. Lee, E. A. Berns, R. A. Miller, and A. M. Wright Radiation Dose Reduction for Augmentation Mammography Am. J. Roentgenol., May 1, 2007; 188(5): 1414 - 1421. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J Law, K Faulkner, and K C Young Risk factors for induction of breast cancer by X-rays and their implications for breast screening Br. J. Radiol., April 1, 2007; 80(952): 261 - 266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Mascalchi, G. Belli, M. Zappa, G. Picozzi, M. Falchini, R. D. Nave, G. Allescia, A. Masi, A. L. Pegna, N. Villari, et al. Risk-benefit analysis of X-ray exposure associated with lung cancer screening in the Italung-CT trial. Am. J. Roentgenol., August 1, 2006; 187(2): 421 - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Allen, T. Demetriades, and D. J. Brenner Radiation risk overestimated. Radiology, August 1, 2006; 240(2): 613 - 614. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Barentsz, S. Takahashi, W. Oyen, R. Mus, P. De Mulder, R. Reznek, M. Oudkerk, and W. Mali Commonly Used Imaging Techniques for Diagnosis and Staging J. Clin. Oncol., July 10, 2006; 24(20): 3234 - 3244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C J Whitaker, C M Kelly, K Faulkner, and E C Stamp Influence of menopausal status and use of hormone replacement therapy on radiation dose from mammography in routine breast screening. Br. J. Radiol., July 1, 2006; 79(943): 597 - 602. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J Law and K Faulkner Radiation benefit and risk at the assessment stage of the UK Breast Screening Programme. Br. J. Radiol., June 1, 2006; 79(942): 479 - 482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Jacobi, N. J.D. Nagelkerke, J. C. van Houwelingen, and G. H. de Bock Breast Cancer Screening, Outside the Population-Screening Program, of Women from Breast Cancer Families without Proven BRCA1/BRCA2 Mutations: a Simulation Study. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., March 1, 2006; 15(3): 429 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G J Heyes, A J Mill, and M W Charles Enhanced biological effectiveness of low energy X-rays and implications for the UK breast screening programme. Br. J. Radiol., March 1, 2006; 79(939): 195 - 200. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Faulkner and K. Bennison An assessment of digital stereotaxis in the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme Radiat Prot Dosimetry, December 1, 2005; 117(1-3): 327 - 329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Faulkner and J. Law Mammographic breast cancer screening for women previously treated with high breast doses for diseases such as Hodgkin's Radiat Prot Dosimetry, December 1, 2005; 117(1-3): 330 - 333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Smans, H. Bosmans, M. Xiao, A. K. Carton, and G. Marchal Towards a proposition of a diagnostic (dose) reference level for mammographic acquisitions in breast screening measurements in Belgium Radiat Prot Dosimetry, December 1, 2005; 117(1-3): 321 - 326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H M Warren-Forward and L Duggan Towards in vivo TLD dosimetry in mammography Br. J. Radiol., May 1, 2004; 77(917): 426 - 432. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J Law and K Faulkner Two-view screening and extending the age range: the balance of benefit and risk Br. J. Radiol., November 1, 2002; 75(899): 889 - 894. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]