Mammograms Reduce Risk of Dying

A new research indicates that Women who get regular mammograms could reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer considerably.

Mammography is accepted by the scientific and medical community as a benefit to women. However some express doubts about its value. Studies conducted during the 70's and 80's concluded X-rays can cut deaths from breast cancer. But later researchers reanalyzed and concluded it was impossible to tell if routine mammograms saved lives. In the latest study, researchers compared deaths from breast cancer diagnosed in the 20 years before and after mammogram screening was introduced. The study found that, among women who got regular mammograms, the risk of dying from breast cancer was reduced by 44 percent compared to the early 70s, before mammograms became routine. However, even women who refused mammograms saw a 16 percent reduction in the chance of dying from disease, an indication that factors other than mammography, such as better drugs, play a role.