Mammogram Confusion

Should women in 40’s get routine mammograms? It can reduce the death rate by 40%. Decrease in deaths was highest for women at the age of 40s. With such a policy in place, insurance companies will  stop paying women in 40s for coverage of breast screening mammograms.

One view is women in 40s are not at risk for breast cancer unless they are of high risk category and have a family history. For them it is recommended to get recommendation from doctor before getting mammograms because it is found that many examinations lead to false results, biopsies and increase burden on health care. Other point of view is that such a proposal will lead poor women in 40s with no insurance or facility for examinations and make them vulnerable to this deadly disease i.e. breast cancer which could be avoided.

Here is an excerpt from Anderson Coopers 360 blog : There’s confusion and outrage over the new recommendations from a government task force regarding mammograms.

The United States Preventive Service Task Force announced Monday that most women don’t need mammograms in their 40s and instead should wait until they are 50 to get one every two years. They also suggest that self-breast exams do no good and women should not be taught how to do them.

This is a major reversal and it’s being challenged by the American Cancer Society and others.

“We’re going to encourage women to continue to have mammography every year and we hope they will continue to have it into their 70s,” said Dr. Peter Pressman, a surgeon and co-author of “Breast Cancer: The Complete Guide”, who works with the American Cancer Society. Click here to read more on this topic.