MARGARET WARNER: Do regular mammograms save lives? That question
has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent
months. For a quarter-century, doctors and cancer groups have
recommended regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer,
believing that early detection saves lives. Breast cancer
strikes 190,000 American women and kills about 40,000 each year.
Then, two years ago, a pair of Danish researchers announced that
their analysis of all the major mammography studies to date
provided no reliable evidence that regular mammograms reduce
mortality. The doubts they raised have led to widespread
confusion about the procedure. Yesterday, the federal government
stepped into the controversy. An independent panel of experts,
convened by the Department of Health and Human Services,
announced the results of its own analysis. Its conclusion:
Mammograms remain an effective tool for preventing cancer
deaths. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson
announced the panel's findings. SECRETARY TOMMY THO