A new study has the revealed the shocking fact that breast cancer patients are receiving unnecessary treatment. The study was based on cancer patients recognized through public screening programs.

Public screening programs are run by government to help diagnose breast cancer in countries like Britain, Australia, Canada, Norway and Sweden. The treatment received by cancer patients identified through this program was monitored closely during the study. Karsten Jorgensen and Peter Gotzshe from the Nordic Cochrane Center, Copenhagen are the key members of the study group.

The progress of cancer in each patient was minutely followed at least 5-7 years before the screening program identified him or her. A surprising discovery was that, after the screening, the number of cancer patients tend to increase. If the screening program was successful, cancer incidence should subside instead of going up.

Jorgensen and Gotzsche noticed that the screening programs just reported a hyped up figure in their records. They also discovered that about one-third of those discovered by the screening program do not require treatment for breast cancer at all.

How harmful are these?

Cancers seen in some people are not at all harmful to cause any discomfort or death. They progress too slowly to cause any trouble to the patient. However, as these dormant cancers are not discernible from the deadly ones, these patients get unwanted treatment.

For years, women are going through the screening process without grasping the full consequences of their decision. They are forced to be patients without any significant health problem. They undergo traumatic cancer treatments that are actually not needed. They also endure the aftermath of the treatment, which leaves deep scars on body and mind.

Jorgensen and Gotzsche think that women should be aware of these facts before venturing into the treatment schedule. This study is to make them realize this.

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