Breast cancer screening might lead to unnecessary treatment

Mammograms are important in order to diagnose breast cancer. But a research has revealed some of the negatives sides of breast cancer screening. The research claims that for every life saved by the mammogram, three women will be diagnosed and treated for cancer which would never have become life threatening or needed treatment for that matter. This study has lead to publishing of new leaflets which are sent to women around the age of 50. The old leaflets were criticized for exaggerating the benefits of the mammogram which had led to more and more women getting treatment for what they thought was a life threatening condition when in truth the cancer would have never progressed enough to show symptoms. The new leaflet states, “Overall, for every woman who has her life saved from breast cancer, about three women are diagnosed with a cancer that would never have become life-threatening.”