One of the most controversial topics in health care during the past 40 years has been the importance of mammographic screening. Not only has this been a debate among physicians, but it became a highly politicized topic and even involved the Congress of the United States (1). Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, with more than 200.000 invasive cancers diagnosed each year. Approximately 40.000 American women die each year of breast cancer. Although far from a victory, in 1990 the death rate began to fall for the first time in 50 years, and during the next 10 years, it declined by approximately 20%. I believe that much of this decline has been due to mammographic screening.
展开▼
