BBC | Breast screening 'may do harm'
Researchers looked at international studies on half a million women.
They found that for every 2,000 women screened over a decade, one will have her life prolonged, but 10 will have to undergo unnecessary treatment.
UK experts said women over 50 should go for their breast checks, but a screening pioneer raised doubts about the programme's future.
The report, published in the Cochrane Library, involved a review of breast cancer research papers from around the world.
Women invited to screening should be fully informed of both benefits and harm
Dr Peter Gotzsche, researcher
The scientists found mammograms did reduce the number of women dying from the disease.
But they also discovered it was diagnosing woman with breast cancer who would have survived without treatment, meaning they were undergoing unnecessary chemotherapy, radiotherapy or mastectomies.
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