An Open Letter To Women And Their Physicians

American Cancer Society
Thursday, 31 January 2002

We, the undersigned, representing a broad spectrum of concerned health organizations, are responding to coverage in the media and the resulting public discussion questioning the value of mammography. This discussion has been stimulated by a recent report published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, which concluded there was no scientific support for breast cancer screening with mammography.

Women and their healthcare professionals should know that numerous independent expert groups in the U.S. and Europe have repeatedly subjected the world's major clinical studies of mammography to careful scientific scrutiny, and also have carefully evaluated the analysis published in The Lancet. While the existing studies of mammography screening have known limitations and even some flaws, the evidence as a whole solidly supports reduced breast cancer mortality rates due to mammography screening. Early breast cancer detection means a greater chance for successful treatment and a greater range of treatment options.

We have grave concerns that these public debates have already begun to erode the confidence in mammography that has been built up over the past two decades. While mammography is not a perfect tool, it is effective and has contributed significantly to the declines in breast cancer mortality since 1990. In fact, there will be many thousands fewer breast cancer deaths among U.S. women this year due to the combined progress we've made in early detection and improved therapy. If women are dissuaded from getting regular mammograms, lives will be lost.

We strongly urge women to continue to follow the advice of their physicians and the leading medical organizations. Our organizations will continue to monitor new scientific research in order to offer the best advice to women and their physicians.

This letter is cosigned by the following organizations:

American Academy of Family Physicians

- American Cancer Society
- American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Preventive Medicine
- American Medical Association
- Cancer Research Foundation of America
- National Medical Association
- Oncology Nursing Society
- Society of Gynecologic Oncologists

For more information about the early detection of breast cancer, call 1-800-227-2345.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org