Jemima
10-11-11, 12:06pm
Came across this editorial in the New York Times a few minutes ago and found it quite interesting, especially since I had my first digital mammogram last spring, which came up with all sorts of suspicious dense areas:
"False positives are really common in both breast and prostate cancer screening. (When it comes to screening, all numbers should be viewed as estimates because the data vary for different populations and practice settings, but numbers do help give a sense of the order of magnitude.) Approximately 15 to 20 percent of women and men who are screened annually over a 10-year period will have to undergo at least one biopsy because of a false-positive mammogram or P.S.A. — prostate-specific antigen — test."
Link: http://tinyurl.com/4ydbnx3
"False positives are really common in both breast and prostate cancer screening. (When it comes to screening, all numbers should be viewed as estimates because the data vary for different populations and practice settings, but numbers do help give a sense of the order of magnitude.) Approximately 15 to 20 percent of women and men who are screened annually over a 10-year period will have to undergo at least one biopsy because of a false-positive mammogram or P.S.A. — prostate-specific antigen — test."
Link: http://tinyurl.com/4ydbnx3