Do annual mammograms save lives? Recent studies have concluded that they do not and may actually harm more than they help, due to false positives, overtreatment, and radiation-induced cancers. Additionally, the mortality rate from breast cancer is virtually identical whether one receives an annual mammogram or annual physical breast exam.
In one study, researchers found “no evident correlation between the extent of screening and 10-year breast cancer mortality” and concluded that mammograms primarily find small, typically harmless, or non-lethal tumors. Moreover, higher screening rates were associated with higher incidence of breast cancer.
Another objection to mammography is that ionizing radiation is used to image the breasts, and it is a well-established fact that ionizing radiation can cause cancer.