The last couple of weeks, I've made allusions to the "Bat Signal" (or, as I called it, the "Cancer Signal," although that's a horrible name and I need to think of a better one). Basically, when Bat Cancer Signal goes up (hey, I like that one better, but do bats get cancer?), it means that a study or story has hit the press that demands my attention.
Thousands of Canadian women may have died needlessly of breast cancer because of the fallout from two flawed studies on breast screening, according to a group of prominent researchers.In a commentary published today in the Journal of Medical Screenin
Dr. Daniel Kopans.
The history of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on breast screening is another case in point, in which decisions on mammography guidelines have been based on flawed analyses of scientific data.
When the USPSTF last week opened a new review of breast screening guidelines, it created the opportunity to revisit the group s flawed decision in 2009 to not recommend breast screening for women in their 40s. However, a number of factors need to be addressed for the 2021 review to present a fair and impartial review of the science and evidence in favor of breast screening.