The benefits of breast-screening massively outweigh any harm it causes, according to a major review of European services published today.
At least seven lives are saved for every 1,000 women undergoing regular screening after the age of 50, researchers found.
In contrast four in every 1,000 women is faced with over-treatment because of a wrong diagnosis, according to the study.
Researchers said the findings would help put an end to growing controversy about the benefits of screening for breast screening.
The conclusions come from an analysis of the results of 26 programmes in 18 countries involving some 12 million women over a seven year period.
Two working groups of experts worked on the project, reported in the Journal of Medical Screening.
The study shows that quite large numbers of women face recall tests during the screening programme. Out of every 1,000, some 170 would have experience of being recalled for further tests – and 30 of these would undergo invasive tests such as a biopsy before disease was ruled out.
Researcher Professor Stephen Duffy, of Barts and The London School of Medicine, UK, said: "In particular, it is good news that lives saved by screening outweigh over-diagnosed cases by a factor of two to one."
"This is the only comprehensive review of the results of breast screening services in Europe. It reports results from screening millions of women, and confirms that the screening services are delivering the benefits expected from the research studies conducted years ago."
And fellow researcher Dr Eugenio Paci, director of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, Florence, Italy, said: "There has been quite a lot of discussion recently over the worth of breast cancer screening and for this reason it is timely that the international group of experts has assessed the impact of population-based screening in Europe and has found that it is contributing to the reduction in deaths from the disease.
"We believe that not only should our conclusions be communicated to women offered breast screening in Europe, but that, in addition, communication methods should be improved in order to raise women’s awareness, and to make information more accessible, relevant and comprehensible."
Summary of the evidence of breast cancer screening outcomes in Europe and first estimate of the benefit and harm balance sheet. EUROSCREEN working group. Journal of Medical Screening 2012, volume 19, supplement 1.
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