Breast cancer charity overstated screening benefits

cp418

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/02/13092087-breast-cancer-charity-overstated-screening-benefits-researchers-say

Breast cancer charity overstated screening benefits, researchers say

jenrio

The report did not explain fully one big problem with the 98% vs 23% survival comparison used in Komen Ads.   To understand the problem you need to understand the Will Rogers phenomenon:

Stage migration Epidemiology The improved survival of Pts with CA or other disease by either reclassifying Pts into different prognostic groups, recognizing more subtle disease manifestations, or by using diagnostic modalities that allow a disease to be diagnosed at an earlier stage; the WRP results in a 'zero-time shift' and improved prognosis, without affecting survival 

ie, by doing lots of mammograms to lots of apparently healthy people frequently, you not only gave them damaging radiation, but also "stage shifted" a substantial subset of patients (who has low grade slow growing tumors, no symptoms that would never be picked up otherwise and would be most likely survive for a long time) from "healthy population" into the "stage 0", "stage 1" set.   Improving the prognosis of "stage 0" and "stage 1" with NO improved treatment, and just spending lots of money and reclassify these patients.

The comparison of the 2 statistics used in the commercial is therefore very misleading.   It's a shame that Komen with its immense fund raising prowess will end up being tarred for these half-truths due to the aweful decisions to focus on prevention (EXPENSIVE and INEFFECTIVE and NO INNOVATION) vs researching treatment for MBC (which requires lots of investment but would be absolutely required for CURE and may even save money).   

Ironically, in the ads, Komen does refer obliquely to the aweful survival of MBC patients with the 23%.     Only the mammograms it's pushing so hard for does not solve 2 problems:   a) a lot of the MBC patients are younger women or with dense breasts, so mammograms do not pick up anything and is not recommended for these patients anyway  b)  mammograms is NOT the cure for MBC or BC for that matter.   

Either Komen has to unpinkwash itself or it will fade.   Losing your credibility is usually the deathnell for a charity.   I just hope some other charities more focused on MBC will grow to replace them  and learn from Komen's successes and mistakes.