Fighting the War on Breast Cancer: Debates over Early Detection, 1945 to the Present
Authors: Barron H. Lerner
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1998)

Medical Writings1 July 1998Fighting the War on Breast Cancer: Debates over Early Detection, 1945 to the PresentBarron H. Lerner, MD, PhDBarron H. Lerner, MD, PhDColumbia University; New York, NY 10032.Note: Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-129-1-199807010-00028 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The recent consensus meetings on screening mammography for women 40 to 49 years of age generated great controversy. Critics of the consensus statements, particularly the January 1997 decision by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel not to recommend routine screening, used language that was often vitriolic and accusatory [1-3].In attempting to explain why these efforts at consensus generated such antagonism, various commentators have convincingly argued that these debates were not really about the scientific value of mammography. Indeed, it has been claimed that there is broad agreement on what the data show [4]. Instead, as Fletcher [5], Ernster ...References1. Kolata G. Mammogram talks prove indefinite. New York Times. 24 January 1997:A1, A15. Google Scholar2. Kolata G. Stand on mammograms greeted by outrage. New York Times. 28 January 1997:C1, C8. Google Scholar3. Begley S. The mammogram war. Newsweek. 24 February 1997:54-8. Google Scholar4. Ransohoff DF, Harris RP. Lessons from the mammography screening controversy: can we improve the debate? Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127:1029-34. 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Lerner, MD, PhDAffiliations: Columbia University; New York, NY 10032.Note: Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author.Acknowledgments: The author thanks H. Gilbert Welch, Hiram S. Cody, Phillip I. Lerner, David J. Rothman, Jonathan H. Sadowsky, Freya R. Schnabel, and Steven Shea for their advice.Grant Support: In part by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Dr. Lerner is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Generalist Physician Faculty Scholar (Project # 031491).Corresponding Author: Barron H. Lerner, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Box 11, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoApplying World Wide Web Technology to the Study of Patients with Rare Diseases Piet C. de Groen , Jon A. Barry , and William J. Schaller Fighting the War on Breast Cancer Maryann Napoli Fighting the War on Breast Cancer Barron H. Lerner Celebrating the ACP Centennial: From the Annals Archive—Breast Cancer Screening Deborah Cotton Metrics Cited byUnderstanding professional stakeholders’ active resistance to guideline implementation: The case of Canadian breast screening guidelinesEthical and Societal Considerations in Breast Cancer ScreeningCelebrating the ACP Centennial: From the Annals Archive—Breast Cancer ScreeningDeborah Cotton, MD, MPH, Deputy EditorCancer Screening: The Journey from Epidemiology to PolicyIntroductionReading and WritingCuttingDiagnosingCuratingTestifying and TeachingExpositionNotesBibliography‘That's like chopping off a finger because you’re afraid it might get broken’: Disease and illness in women's views of prophylactic mastectomyConstructing “High-Risk Women”: The Development and Standardization of a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment ToolAverage-risk ScreeningInventing a Curable Disease: Historical Perspectives on Breast CancerBREAST CANCER SCREENINGGreat expectations: historical perspectives on genetic breast cancer testing.Fighting the War on Breast CancerMaryann Napoli 1 July 1998Volume 129, Issue 1Page: 74-78KeywordsArmed forcesBiopsyBreast cancerCancer treatmentForecastingInvasive lobular carcinomaLesionsMammographySurgeonsSurgery ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 1 July 1998 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1998 by American College of Physicians. 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