Other
Mammography Screening – How Persistent Should We Be in the Recommendations?
Ivana Babić
orcid.org/0000-0001-6693-4875
; Family Practice »Dr. Ivana Babi}«, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia
Vlatka Hajdinjak Trstenjak
orcid.org/0000-0001-9098-0441
; Family Practice »Dr. Vlatka Hajdinjak Trstenjak«, Šenkovec, Croatia
Abstract
55 year old women came to me as her family doctor, seeking advice on mammography screening. She rather wouldn’t
do it because she feels well, is a bit afraid of radiation and thinks it’s not important, since she doesn’t have individual
risk. Having in mind newly emerging evidence about the questionable value of the screening, especially in women without
any risks, I was in dilemma what to recommend. Therefore, we did a limited literature search. Systematic reviews
are questioning effectiveness of mammography as screening method, evidences show limited effect on reducing mortality
and the burden of overdiagnosis and overtreatmnent. Professional recommendations vary from country to country. Overall
impression is that many questions remain open and, until better method of screening is found, the decisions about
breast cancer screening should be strongly individualized, according to the patients risks. We openly discussed it, she decided
to postpone mammography for a while.
Keywords
mammography; screening; evidence-based; recommendations
Hrčak ID:
147551
URI
Publication date:
29.12.2014.
Visits: 666 *