Can repeated mammography possibly prevent breast cancers from spontaneously regressing?
A remarkable study from Norway published in Archives of Internal Medicine compared 110,000 women (aged 50-64) who had regular 2 yearly mammograms between 1996 and 2001 with an aged-matched control group in 1992 who had a mammogram after 6 years. There was a 22% higher incidence of invasive cancer in those having regular mammograms. This finding was identical to a Canadian study (Miller 2002) and another published in the British Medical Journal (Zahl 2004) that concluded:
"Without screening, one third of all invasive breast cancers in the age group 50-69 years would not have been detected in the patients' lifetime. This level of over-diagnosis is larger than previously thought."
Again, these studies indicate that other more accurate and potentially less damaging methods ought to be used as the primary breast screening followed by structural investigations only when indicated. Comparative thermal imaging uniquely provides monitoring of either improvement or deterioration following life-style and other interventions.
Zahl P-H et al. The natural history of invasive breast cancers detected by screening mammography. Arch. Intern. Med. 2008: 168(21 ):2311-2316
Miller AB et at. The Canadian National Breast Screening Study - I: Breast cancer mortality after 11-16 years of follow-up. A randomized screening trial of mammography in women age 4-49 years. Ann. Intern Med 2002:137(5 Part 1):305-12
Zahl P-H et aI. Incidence of breast cancer in Norway and Sweden during introduction of nationwide screening: prospective cohort study. BMJ.2004:328(7445):92 1-4
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