Breast cancer overdiagnosis after screening mammography among older women in the United States

Overdiagnosis is increasingly recognized as a harm of breast cancer screening, particularly for older women. Analysis of Medicare claims linked to SEER data found that continued breast cancer screening after the age of 70 years was associated with greater incidence of breast cancer. The estimated overdiagnosis percentages were 31% among women aged 70 to 74 years, 47% among women aged 57 to 84 years, and 54% among women aged 85 years and older.