Efficiency of mammography for breast cancer screening

Abstract

The present study is an integrative literature review, which aims to evaluate the efficiency of mammography in reducing mortality from breast cancer and regarding a possible excess of cancer diagnosis, a phenomenon that will henceforth be called by the established term "overdiagnosis". In addition, it will assess which women in the general population must undergo screening mammography, as well as how often this exam must be performed. The central research questions are: given the numbers of mammography overdiagnosis, which subgroup of women in the general population must undergo screening mammography and how often? Is mammography effective for early detection of breast cancer? Health descriptors were selected for article research using the PICO technique. Subsequently, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and the articles to be analyzed were selected. The results indicate that there is no consensus in the national and international literature, but that mammography still appears as one of the main tests for early detection of breast cancer and its performance is essential for the adequate treatment of the disease.