The US Preventive Services Task Force changes everything and I am getting angry!
In the November 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, (see www.annals.org), the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) radically changes its recommendations on screening for breast cancer. For ever, the recommendation was for women 40-49 years old to have a Screening mammography every 1-2 years and for women 50 years and older to have a mammography once a year.
Most OB/GYNs will send their patients once between 35 and 40 years old. Now, the USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography in women 40 to 49 years unless there is a good reason to get one. Routine mammography may create more harm than good. It may lead to anxiety and unneeded biopsies. So, don’t do them.
In addition, the USPSTF recommends every other year screening mammograms for women aged 50 to 74 years and no routine mammography for women over 75.
Next is the best of all. The USPSTF recommends against teaching breast self-examination.
So, if I understand this…don’t get a mammo until age 50 if nothing is going on. Get one only if there is a reason. Don’t do breast self-exams. So, even if there is something going on you will not find it.
Do you think that insurance will stop paying for mammography now?
Do you think this new concept will save lives? Or will it just save healthcare dollars?
Will your anxiety be more or less if you know you are doing nothing?
Are you telling me that you know no one with breast cancer under 50?
Mammographies miss 10% of breast cancers, maybe more. But not even trying gets me angry.
