RT Journal
A1 Wilt TJ, Partin MR
T1 Screening: Simple messages . . . sometimes: comment on ”likelihood that a woman with screen-detected breast cancer has had her “life saved” by that screening“
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2011
FD December 12
VO 171
IS 22
SP 2046
OP 2048
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.509
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.509
AB 
In their article appearing in this issue of the Archives, Welch and Frankel1 critically evaluate the common claim among cancer survivors that their “life was saved” by screening. After providing convincing evidence that this claim is markedly exaggerated, the authors express concerns that overly inflated perceptions of the benefits of mammography may lead to a self-perpetuating cycle of unwarranted demand for screening, overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and a continually growing population of breast cancer survivors who advocate mammography. The demographics of survivorship suggest that their concern is legitimate.