Breast screening saves lives

Godlee concludes incorrectly that our silence implies assent to Gotzsche and colleagues’ views on the magnitude of the effect of mammographic screening in reducing breast cancer mortality.1 2 3 4 In 1993 a meta-analysis of randomised trials showed a 24% reduction in breast cancer mortality among all women aged 50-74 invited for screening,5 a result that has been generally accepted. This intention …