A group of UK health professionals believe that women going for screening for breast cancer are not provided the right information. Some women are given medical treatment which is not required.

The team comprising of Professor Michael Baum, Emeritus Professor of Surgery at University College London and Dr Paul Pharoah, Cancer Research UK Senior Clinical Research Fellow, University of Cambridge and others said that there are harms associated with early detection of breast cancer by screening that are not widely acknowledged.

They said: "For example, there is evidence to show that up to half of all cancers and their precursor lesions that are found by screening, if left to their own devices, might not do any harm to the woman during her natural lifespan."

Health professional also questioned the information leaflets sent to women who are invited for screening. This team believes that these women "are being manipulated, albeit unintentionally, into attending". It asked for proper and full information to be written on these leaflets.