Untangling the mammogram muddle.

• Position: Breast Cancer - Brief Article

Mammograms are in the news again, causing confusion and dismay. This time it's a study that concludes there is no evidence that they save lives. Many women are now wondering if they should continue to have this long-recommended screening test. The Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource reports that the consensus of many major medical organizations--including the National Cancer Institute, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), American Cancer Society, and Mayo Clinic--is a resounding yes.

The current controversy centers on a Danish report that evaluated eight previously published studies about mammograms. It found major flaws in six of the eight studies and pointed out that the other two revealed no effect on the reduction of breast cancer deaths due to mammography screening. The medical community reacted strongly against this analysis, so the researchers reanalyzed their data, only to come to the same conclusions.

In response, the USPSTF completed its own review of mammography studies. It looked at the...