Table 1: Summary and Focus of Previous Health Technology Assessments and Other Reviews of Screening Mammography.

Year	Author		Focus of Assessment*
2005	Agence d’evaluation des technologies et des modes d’intervention en sante (AETMIS) (20)	-	What is the strength of the scientific evidence on which screening mammography programs are based?
		-	What evidence is there in support of screening for women aged 40 to 49 years?
		-	What are the implications of research studies for maximizing the effectiveness of modern programs such as the ‘Program québécois de depistage du cancer du sein’?
2004	French National Agency for Accreditation and Evaluation in Healthcare (ANAES) (21)	-	To determine whether the breast cancer screening program in France should be extended to women aged 40 to 49 years with no history of breast cancer or hereditary risk
		-	To update the ANAES 1999 guidelines
2002	AHRQ, United States, for the United States Preventive Services Task Force (22)	-	To summarize the current USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer and the supporting scientific evidence
		-	To update the 1996 recommendations for women 40 years and older
2001	Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care(2)	-	To summarize the evidence on the effect of screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years at average risk for breast cancer
		-	To update a 1994 recommendation of fair evidence to exclude screening mammography of these younger women from the periodic health exam
2001	Cochrane Review (23)	-	To study the effect of screening for breast cancer with mammography on mortality and morbidity
2000	Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (24)	-	To address the evidence on appropriate screening intervals for asymptomatic women aged 50 to 69 years and 40 to 49 years
		-	To assess the efficacy of screening mammography in asymptomatic women aged 40 to 49 years
1999	New Zealand Health Technology Assessment(25)	-	To identify and appraise the literature examining the early diagnosis of breast cancer by primary care health professionals
		-	To update a previous review from 1996
1997	NHMRC National Breast Cancer Centre – Australia (26)	-	To review the evidence on impact of screening on breast cancer mortality among women aged 40 to 49 years and to review the methodological issues likely to affect the analysis of effect
		-	To assess the incremental benefit of commencing screening at age 40 years rather than 50 years
		-	Estimate the likely relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction, and number needed to screen if screening commenced at age 40 rather than at age 50

^*USPSTF indicates United States Preventive Services Task Force.