Statistical Tool Calculates Breast Cancer Risk

Women between the ages of 50 and 79 would benefit fromyearly mammograms and, by having these mammograms,reduce death rates from breast cancer by 37%. Researchersobserved benefits for women in this age group who were testedevery 2 years. The researchers reached their conclusion usinga statistical calculator based on various studies of breast cancerand mammograms.

Marvin Zelen, PhD, who developed the statistical tool with acolleague, said that the model was not meant to give anabsolute guide to whether more screening is wise.

Instead, the researchers would like to develop their programinto a Web site.

This Web site would allow women to calculate their own riskand determine when to have mammograms.