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Benefit of mammography screening in women ages 40 to 49 Years. Current evidence from randomized controlled trials
Author(s) -
Smart Charles R.,
Hendrick R. Edward,
Rutledge James H.,
Smith Robert A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19950401)75:7<1619::aid-cncr2820750711>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - medicine , mammography , confidence interval , randomized controlled trial , breast cancer , statistical significance , clinical trial , meta analysis , screening mammography , gynecology , cancer , surgery
Background . Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of screening mammography were conducted involving women ages 40 to 49 years at entry. Current data gathered for periods ranging from 7 to 18 years of follow‐up are available from these trials. Methods . Meta‐analyses were performed using a Mantel‐Haenszel estimator method to combine current follow‐up data from the eight RCTs of mammography that included women ages 40 to 49 years. Results . Combining all current data on women ages 40 to 49 years at entry into the trials yielded a 14% benefit from screening mammography, without statistical significance at the 95% confidence level. Combining all data on women ages 40 to 49 years at entry, excluding results from the Canadian National Breast Screening Study, yielded a 23% benefit to women invited for screening, with statistical significance at the 95% confidence level. Conclusions . These results suggest that screening mammography in women ages 40 to 49 years at entry can reduce mortality from breast cancer when combined with adequate follow‐up. Cancer 1995;75:1619‐26.