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No myth: Benefits of breast screening

Nature volume 529, page 283 (2016)Cite this article

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A Correction to this article was published on 24 February 2016

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Your attempt to debunk the “myth” that cancer screening saves lives is ill-conceived for breast cancer (Nature 528, 322–325; 2015). Women should be aware of the benefits and potential harms of breast screening, including that it can reduce the chance of death from breast cancer.

You cite one randomized screening trial that showed no reduction in deaths due to breast cancer. However, an independent meta-analysis of 11 trials, including the one you cite, demonstrates an overall 20% reduction in mortality (M. G. Marmot et al. Lancet 380, 1778–1786; 2012).

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  1. University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jeremy M. Berg & Wendie A. Berg

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  1. Jeremy M. Berg
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  2. Wendie A. Berg
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Correspondence to Jeremy M. Berg.

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Wendie A. Berg, MD, PhD, FACR is a practising breast imaging radiologist.

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Berg, J., Berg, W. No myth: Benefits of breast screening. Nature 529, 283 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/529283b

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