Age-Specific Reduction in Breast Cancer Mortality by Screening: An Analysis of the Results of the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York Study2

The 14-year follow-up mortality results from the randomized breast cancer screening trial of the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (HIP) were analyzed with respect to the problem of age-specific screening effects. Mortality reduction was measured in three different ways and appears to be homogeneous across age groups. This finding challenges the widespread opinion that the results of the HIP study support the conclusion that breast cancer screening is not effective below age 50.