Mammogram
Breast cancer kills approximately 40,000 women in the U.S. each year; for decades, it has been recommended that women should perform regular breast self-examinations and that women over 40 and older should have an annual mammogram. On November 16, the U.S. Preventive Task Force released new guidelines, which immediately raised controversy. According to the guidelines, mammograms are unnecessary for women in their 40s who have average cancer risk and women between 50 and 74 years of age should have a mammogram every two years. The guidelines also recommend that physicians cease teaching women self-breast examination because of a lack of evidence that is has any benefit. According to the Task Force, the guidelines were based on weighing the benefits of screening to the harm of false-positives (i.e., unnecessary anxiety, additional tests, and biopsies). According to the American College of Radiology, approximately $3.3 billion has been spent over the past 12 months for mammograms in the U.S. The guidelines only apply to: (1) women without a family history of breast cancer; and (2) women who do not have a genetic mutation associated with breast cancer (i.e., BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes).
The American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network all recommend annual mammograms for women aged 40 or older. Dr. Philip Evans, a radiology professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and president of the Society for Breast Imaging, stated that he was “shocked” by the changes. He added, “There’s a ton of scientific data in this country and others on screening that shows a significant benefit for women between 40 and 49 to be screened. Other healthcare experts express fear that the new guidelines might cause healthcare insurers to cease reimbursement for screening mammograms.
See also:
Better communication regarding mammograms stressed by Harvard study
Mammography and healthcare reform
Breast tenderness linked to increased cancer risk
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