Breast cancer screening cuts chance of dying from disease by 40%, say experts

However, critics suggest panel may be over-stating effectiveness of screening as debate over exact value of mammograms continues

Women who undergo breast cancer screening cut their risk of dying from the disease by 40%, according to a global panel of experts attempting to end a long-running controversy about mammograms.

IARC, the International Agency for Cancer Research, an arm of the World Health Organisation, has weighed in with strong support for mammography screening, which has divided scientific opinion in recent years. Some scientists argue that few lives are saved and that screening does harm by identifying some small slow-growing cancers which are then treated with surgery, radiotherapy and drugs, but which would never have disturbed the woman in her lifetime.