CORRESPONDENCE

Re: Benefits and Risks of Screening Mammography for Women in Their Forties: a Statistical Appraisal

Maryann Napoli

Correspondence to: Maryann Napoli, Associate Director, Center for Medical Consumers, 237 Thompson St., New York, NY 10012-1090 (e-mail: mnapoli2{at}ix.netcom.com).

The Journal recently published a letter (1) from Daniel B. Kopans, who regularly takes issue with anyone who questions whether there is strong evidence to support mammography screening for women in their forties. Because it is Journal policy to have all authors sign a statement revealing any financial conflict of interest, perhaps some pertinent information should have been included at the end of Dr. Kopans' correspondence. As anyone can learn from a visit to the Web site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov), Dr. Kopans co-owns several patents on mammography-related methods and breast biopsy techniques (2-6). These methods may not have been employed in the mammography screening clinical trials critiqued by Dr. Kopans, but does he profit indirectly whenever his commentaries convince other physicians that mammography screening should begin at age 40 years? Obviously, the rates of mammography and biopsy would be expected to increase dramatically once women in their forties are defined as suitable screening candidates. One survey (7) showed that women in this age group are the primary recipients of mammography. As a Journal reader, I would appreciate some clarification: Do these patents constitute a financial conflict of interest that should be stated at the end of all mammography-related correspondence published by Dr. Kopans?

REFERENCES

1 Kopans DB, Halpern E. Re: Benefits and risks of screening mammography for women in their forties: a statistical appraisal. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999;91:382-4.[Free Full Text]

2 Kopans DB, inventor. The General Hospital Corporation, assignee. Ridged compression assembly for mammography apparatus. U.S. patent 4,962,515. 1990 Oct 9.

3 Jain RK, Stacy-Clear A, Boucher Y, Moore R, Kopans DB, inventors. The General Hospital Corporation, assignee. Method for locating tumors prior to needle biopsy. U.S. patent 5,396,897. 1995 March 14.

4 Niklason LT, Jameson-Meehan L, Kopans DB, Moore R, inventors. The General Hospital Corporation, assignee. Mammography compression device and method. U.S. patent 5,506,877. 1996 Apr 9.

5 Moore R, Kopans DB, inventors. The General Hospital Corporation, assignee. Apparatus and method for improved tissue imaging. U.S. patent 5,553,111. 1996 Sept 3.

6 Niklason LT, Niklason LE, Kopans DB, inventors. The General Hospital Corporation, assignee. Tomosynthesis system for breast imaging. U.S. patent 5,872,828. 1999 Feb 16.

7 Smigel K. Survey shows: American women favor mammography [news]. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:439.[Medline]



             
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