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Conclusions in systematic reviews of mammography for breast cancer screening and associations with review design and author characteristics.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Debates about the benefits and harms of mammography continue despite the accumulation of evidence. We sought to quantify the disagreement across systematic reviews of mammography and determine whether author or design characteristics were associated with conclusions that were favourable to the use of mammography for routine breast cancer screening. METHODS:We identified systematic reviews of mammography published between January 2000 and November 2015, and extracted information about the selection of evidence, age groups, the use of meta-analysis, and authors' professions and financial competing interest disclosures. Conclusions about specific age groups were graded as favourable if they stated that there were meaningful benefits, that benefits of mammography outweighed harms, or that harms were inconsequential. The main outcome measures were the proportions of favourable conclusions relative to review design and author characteristics. RESULTS:From 59 conclusions identified in 50 reviews, 42% (25/59) were graded as favourable by two investigators. Among the conclusions produced by clinicians, 63% (12/19) were graded as favourable compared to 32% (13/40) from other authors. In the 50-69 age group where the largest proportion of systematic reviews were focused, conclusions drawn by authors without financial competing interests (odds ratio 0.06; 95% CI 0.07-0.56) and non-clinicians (odds ratio 0.11; 95% CI 0.01-0.84) were less likely to be graded as favourable. There was no trend in the proportion of favourable conclusions over the period, and we found no significant association between review design characteristics and favourable conclusions. CONCLUSIONS:Differences in the conclusions of systematic reviews of the evidence for mammography have persisted for 15 years. We found no strong evidence that design characteristics were associated with greater support for the benefits of mammography in routine breast cancer screening. Instead, the results suggested that the specific expertise and competing interests of the authors influenced the conclusions of systematic reviews.

SUBMITTER: Raichand S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5441061 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Conclusions in systematic reviews of mammography for breast cancer screening and associations with review design and author characteristics.

Raichand Smriti S Dunn Adam G AG Ong Mei-Sing MS Bourgeois Florence T FT Coiera Enrico E Mandl Kenneth D KD

Systematic reviews 20170522 1

<h4>Background</h4>Debates about the benefits and harms of mammography continue despite the accumulation of evidence. We sought to quantify the disagreement across systematic reviews of mammography and determine whether author or design characteristics were associated with conclusions that were favourable to the use of mammography for routine breast cancer screening.<h4>Methods</h4>We identified systematic reviews of mammography published between January 2000 and November 2015, and extracted inf ...[more]

PMID: 28532422

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Project description:BackgroundOur objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the breast cancer detection rate (CDR), invasive CDR, recall rate, and positive predictive value 1 (PPV1) of digital mammography (DM) alone, combined digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and DM, combined DBT and synthetic 2-dimensional mammography (S2D), and DBT alone.MethodsMEDLINE and Embase were searched until April 2020 to identify comparative design studies reporting on patients undergoing routine breast cancer screening. Random effects model proportional meta-analyses estimated CDR, invasive CDR, recall rate, and PPV1. Meta-regression modeling was used to compare imaging modalities. All statistical tests were 2-sided.ResultsForty-two studies reporting on 2 606 296 patients (13 003 breast cancer cases) were included. CDR was highest in combined DBT and DM (6.36 per 1000 screened, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.62 to 7.14, P < .001), and combined DBT and S2D (7.40 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 6.49 to 8.37, P < .001) compared with DM alone (4.68 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 4.28 to 5.11). Invasive CDR was highest in combined DBT and DM (4.53 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 3.97 to 5.12, P = .003) and combined DBT and S2D (5.68 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 4.43 to 7.09, P < .001) compared with DM alone (3.42 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 3.02 to 3.83). Recall rate was lowest in combined DBT and S2D (42.3 per 1000 screened, 95% CI = 37.4 to 60.4, P<.001). PPV1 was highest in combined DBT and DM (10.0%, 95% CI = 8.0% to 12.0%, P = .004), and combined DBT and S2D (16.0%, 95% CI = 10.0% to 23.0%, P < .001), whereas no difference was detected for DBT alone (7.0%, 95% CI = 6.0% to 8.0%, P = .75) compared with DM alone (7.0%, 95.0% CI = 5.0% to 8.0%).ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence on key performance metrics for DM, DBT alone, combined DBT and DM, and combined DBT and S2D, which may inform optimal application of these modalities for breast cancer screening.

Project description:BackgroundIn Germany, all women aged 50-69 have been invited to biennial mammography screening since 2009. We aimed to assess longitudinal adherence over ten years in women aged 50 in 2009 and characterize the different adherence groups.MethodsUsing the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD, ~ 20% of the German population), we included women aged 50 in 2009 (baseline) with continuous health insurance coverage and without breast cancer or in-situ-carcinoma. We followed them until age 59 and categorized them according to mammography screening participation into the following groups: never, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 times. We characterized these groups, inter alia, regarding the use of other preventive measures, non-screening mammography (i.e., mammography outside the organized screening program) and menopausal hormone therapy.ResultsOverall, 82,666 women were included. Of these, 27.6% never participated in the screening program, 15.1% participated 1-2 times, 31.7% participated 3-4 times and 25.6% participated regularly (5-6 times). Among regular participants, 91% utilized other preventive measures (e.g., cervical cancer screening, general health checkup) before baseline as compared to 66% among non-participants. Menopausal hormone therapy was least common among non-participants (11% vs. 18% among regular participants). Among non-participants, the proportions using ≥ 1, ≥ 2, and ≥ 3 non-screening mammographies between age 50-59 were 25%, 18%, and 15%, respectively.ConclusionsUsing a large cohort based on claims data, this study provides novel insights into longitudinal adherence to the mammography screening program and the use of mammography outside of the program in Germany. Between age 50-59, 57% of eligible women participated at least three times in the German mammography screening program and 28% (~ 3 in 10 women) never participated. Among non-participants, 15% had at least three non-screening mammographies during this period, indicating potential gray screening. Participants more often utilized other preventive measures as compared to non-participants.

Project description:BackgroundTrans people face uncertain risk for breast cancer and barriers to accessing breast screening. Our objectives were to identify and synthesize primary research evidence on the effect of cross-sex hormones (CSHs) on breast cancer risk, prognosis and mortality among trans people, the benefits and harms of breast screening in this population, and existing clinical practice recommendations on breast screening for trans people.MethodsWe conducted 2 systematic reviews of primary research, 1 on the effect of CSHs on breast cancer risk, prognosis and mortality, and the other on the benefits and harms of breast screening, and a third systematic review of guidelines on existing screening recommendations for trans people. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and grey literature sources for primary research, guidelines and position statements published in English between 1997 and 2017. Citations were screened by 2 independent reviewers. One reviewer extracted data and assessed methodological quality of included articles; a second reviewer verified these in full. The results were synthesized narratively.ResultsFour observational studies, 6 guidelines and 5 position statements were included. Observational evidence of very low certainty did not show an effect of CSHs on breast cancer risk in trans men or trans women. Among trans women, painfulness of mammography and ultrasonography was low. There was no evidence on the effect of CSHs on breast cancer prognosis and mortality, or on benefits and other harms of screening. Existing clinical practice documents recommended screening for distinct trans subpopulations; however, recommendations varied.InterpretationThe limited evidence does not show an effect of CSHs on breast cancer risk. Although there is insufficient evidence to determine the potential benefits and harms of breast screening, existing clinical practice documents generally recommend screening for trans people; further large-scale prospective comparative research is needed.

Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of contemporary mammography screening using individual information about screening history and breast cancer mortality from public screening programmes.DesignProspective cohort study of Norwegian women who were followed between 1986 and 2009. Within that period (1995-2005), a national mammography screening programme was gradually implemented, with biennial invitations sent to women aged 50-69 years.ParticipantsAll Norwegian women aged 50-79 between 1986 and 2009.Main outcome measuresMultiple Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate breast cancer mortality rate ratios comparing women who were invited to screening (intention to screen) with women who were not invited, with a clear distinction between cases of breast cancer diagnosed before (without potential for screening effect) and after (with potential for screening effect) the first invitation for screening. We took competing causes of death into account by censoring women from further follow-up who died from other causes. Based on the observed mortality reduction combined with the all cause and breast cancer specific mortality in Norway in 2009, we used the CISNET (Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network) Stanford simulation model to estimate how many women would need to be invited to biennial mammography screening in the age group 50-69 years to prevent one breast cancer death during their lifetime.ResultsDuring 15 193 034 person years of observation (1986-2009), deaths from breast cancer occurred in 1175 women with a diagnosis after being invited to screening and 8996 women who had not been invited before diagnosis. After adjustment for age, birth cohort, county of residence, and national trends in deaths from breast cancer, the mortality rate ratio associated with being invited to mammography screening was 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.64 to 0.79). To prevent one death from breast cancer, 368 (95% confidence interval 266 to 508) women would need to be invited to screening.ConclusionInvitation to modern mammography screening may reduce deaths from breast cancer by about 28%.

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Conclusions in systematic reviews of mammography for breast cancer screening and associations with review design and author characteristics.

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Conclusions in systematic reviews of mammography for breast cancer screening and associations with review design and author characteristics.

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