The Evidence for Screening Mammography in Decreasing Breast Cancer Mortality: A Systematic Review A Evidência da Mamografia de Rastreio na Diminuição da Mortalidade por Cancro da Mama: Uma Revisão Sistemática

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer screening is performed through mammography in women. The purpose of this review is to determine if screening mammography decreases breast cancer mortality.

METHODS: A review of articles published in the last 10 years was done using the terms MeSH mammography, mortality, mass screening, breast neoplasms. The Strenght of Recommendation Taxonomy Scale was used to assess the levels of evidence and assignment recommendation forces.

RESULTS: Fifteen articles were included: three systematic reviews, two meta-analyzes, three retrospective cohort studies, four opinion articles, a case-control study, a classic review and a clinical trial.

DISCUSSION: The studies analyzed were mostly methodologically robust and with good quality, pointing to a reduction in breast cancer mortality but not from global mortality. Therefore, the continuity of organized breast cancer screening programs is jeopardized, constituting a recommendation force A.

CONCLUSION: The evidence of overdiagnosis caused by screening programs seems to be consensual in the literature, the implications of which can’t be underestimated.