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Research ArticleOriginal Research

Physician Perspectives on Mammography Screening for Average-Risk Women: “Like a Double-Edged Sword”

Sophia Siedlikowski, Roland Grad, Gillian Bartlett and Carolyn Ells
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine November 2020, 33 (6) 871-884; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2020.06.200102
Sophia Siedlikowski
From the Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (SS, GB, CE); Herzl Family Practice Centre, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (RG); School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (CE); Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri (GB).
MSc
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Roland Grad
From the Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (SS, GB, CE); Herzl Family Practice Centre, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (RG); School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (CE); Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri (GB).
MD, CM, MSc, FCFP
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Gillian Bartlett
From the Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (SS, GB, CE); Herzl Family Practice Centre, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (RG); School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (CE); Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri (GB).
PhD
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Carolyn Ells
From the Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (SS, GB, CE); Herzl Family Practice Centre, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (RG); School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Quebec, Canada (CE); Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri (GB).
PhD
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Article Figures & Data

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    Figure 1.

    Themes and subthemes that emerged from physician comments.

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    Table 1.

    List of IAM Questions and Items of Interest in This Study

    DomainQuestion Sub-Item of Interest
    Q1: What is the impact of this information on you or your practice?
    • o. I disagree with the content of this information

    • o. This information is potentially harmful

    Q3: Will you use this information for a specific patient?If YES, then:
    • o. As a result of this information I will manage this patient differently

    • o. I had several options for this patient, and I will use this information to justify a choice

    • o. I thought I knew what to do, and I used this information to be more certain about the management of this patient

    • o. I used this information to better understand a particular issue related to this patient

    • o. I will use this information in a discussion with this patient, or with other health professionals about this patient

    • o. I will use this information to persuade this patient, or to persuade other health professionals to make a change for this patient.

    Q4: For this patient, do you expect any health benefits as a result of applying this information?If YES, then:
    • o. This information will help to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate treatment, diagnostic procedures, preventative interventions or a referral, for this patient

    • IAM, Information Assessment Method.

    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Key Characteristics of Four Retrieved POEMs Relevant to Mammography Screening, Decision Making, and Overdiagnosis

    POEM Title and DateStudy Design Publication DateClinical QuestionBottom Line
    1. Overdiagnosis of breast cancer is common 2013-01-2942Cohort (prospective) 2012What proportion of breast cancer is overdiagnosed?In the past 30 years we have seen a large increase in the detection of early-stage cancers, but little corresponding decline in late-stage cancers. The authors conclude that approximately 1 in 4 breast cancers has been overdiagnosed, and was unlikely to have ever harmed the woman.
    2. Numbers to help women understand the benefits/harms of screening mammography 2014-02-144Special Communication 2014What are the trade-offs of benefits and harms for women considering a mammogram to screen for breast cancer?The authors suggest that balanced discussions about the benefits and harms of screening mammography should focus not only on the possibility of breast cancer deaths avoided but also the possibility of false alarms and overdiagnosis (the detection of abnormalities that will never progress enough to cause symptoms or death during a patient’s lifetime). The numbers for women of different ages are outlined in the synopsis. Although some women are comfortable with a high rate of false positive results, some women will experience lasting consequences43 and should know the risk of harm when making the decision whether to screen.
    3. Mammography doesn’t decrease cancer-related deaths long term 2014-04-1644Randomized controlled trial (non-blinded)2014Over the long term, does screening mammography decrease the likelihood of a woman dying of breast cancer?Over an average follow up of 22 years in almost 90,000 women, there was a clinically insignificant difference of 5 deaths due to breast cancer (500 vs 505) in women who received 5 annual screening mammograms instead of usual care. Over more than 2 decades, only 1.1% of women died of breast cancer, much lower than the 12.5% (1 in 8) often cited.
    4. Mammogram decision aid slightly increases informed decisions by women 2015-08-1345Randomized controlled trial (double-blinded)2015Does a decision aid that incorporates data on breast cancer overdiagnosis increase informed decision making in women?Decisions aids, regardless of whether they contain information about breast cancer overdiagnosis, have a modest influence on a woman’s ability to make informed choices about screening.
    • POEM, Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters.

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    Table 3.

    Physician Ratings for POEMs 1, 2, 3, and 4

    Number of Physicians Endorsing Item (%)
    POEM 1POEM 2POEM 3POEM 4
    IAM Questionn = 1293n = 1351n = 1308n = 1243
    Q1.I disagree with the content of this information. 19 (1.5)7 (0.5)15 (1.15)4 (0.3)
    This information is potentially harmful.24 (1.9)4 (0.3)13 (1.0)0
    Q3.Will you use this information for a specific patient?139 (10.8)214 (15.8)156 (11.9)79 (6.4)
    Answering ‘Yes’ to Q3 enables the following sub-items:n = 139n = 214n = 156n = 79
    As a result of this information I will manage this patient differently.22 (15.8)19 (8.9)19 (12.2)6 (7.6)
    I had several options for this patient, and I will use this information to justify a choice.33 (23.7)50 (23.4)44 (28.2)19 (24.1)
    I thought I knew what to do, and I used this information to be more certain about the management of this patient.18 (12.9)33 (15.4)24 (15.4)16 (20.3)
    I used this information to better understand a particular issue related to this patient.52 (37.4)61 (28.5)49 (31.4)34 (43.0)
    I will use this information in a discussion with this patient, or with other health professionals about this patient.78 (56.1)134 (62.6)99 (63.5)43 (54.4)
    I will use this information to persuade this patient, or to persuade other health professionals to make a change for this patient.21 (15.1)16 (7.5)14 (9.0)8 (10.1)
    Q4. For this patient, do you expect any health benefits as a result of applying this information?121 (87.1)186 (86.9)129 (82.7)61 (77.2)
    Answering ‘Yes’ to Q4 enables the following sub-item:n = 121n = 186n = 129n = 61
    This information will help to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate treatment, diagnostic procedures, preventative interventions or a referral, for this patient.105 (86.8)163 (87.6)122 (94.6)45 (73.8)
    • POEM, Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters.

    • View popup
    Table 4.

    Number of Physician Ratings and Comments per POEM

    POEM1234
    Number of ratings1293135113081243
    Number of comments291259363
    • POEM, Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters.

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The Journal of the American Board of Family     Medicine: 33 (6)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 33, Issue 6
November-December 2020
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Physician Perspectives on Mammography Screening for Average-Risk Women: “Like a Double-Edged Sword”
Sophia Siedlikowski, Roland Grad, Gillian Bartlett, Carolyn Ells
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Nov 2020, 33 (6) 871-884; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2020.06.200102

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Physician Perspectives on Mammography Screening for Average-Risk Women: “Like a Double-Edged Sword”
Sophia Siedlikowski, Roland Grad, Gillian Bartlett, Carolyn Ells
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Nov 2020, 33 (6) 871-884; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2020.06.200102
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Keywords

  • Breast Cancer
  • Clinical Decision Making
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Decision Making
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Family Physicians
  • Mammography
  • Primary Health Care
  • Women’s Health

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