Irish cancer experts decry breast cancer study findings

Irish cancer experts have urged caution about a British study that appears to show that breast cancer screening programmes have yet to show a reduction in the number of women who die from the disease. The study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggests there is “no evidence” that screening women for breast cancer has an effect on mortality.

However, Dr Ann O’Doherty, lead clinical director of Breastcheck, the Irish breast cancer screening programme, said the research covered a very long timeframe, going back before breast cancer screening was introduced, and used data for a purpose for which it was never intended. Prof Arnie Hill, consultant cancer surgeon at Beaumont Hospital, described the study as “quite flawed”. (Times) >