Nov 17, 2009 1:31 pm US/Eastern
Go! NY Report: Mammograms
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Jessica Moser, 42, was diagnosed last year with cancer in both breasts. Fortunately it was detected early through a routine mammogram.
"It saved my life," she said.
Likewise for 46-year-old Sheila Slaughter. "Early detection saved my life. What more is there to say about that?"
Under new guidelines however, these women, both under 50 with no known risk, would no longer be recommended for routine screening mammograms.
A federal task force said women should not be screened at all between ages 40 and 49. Proponents said the change would cut down on false positives and unnecessary biopsies.
And for women ages 50 to 74, the panel goes on to say they only need to be screened every two years.
While the new recommendations have dismayed many women, a number of breast cancer organizations have taken a somewhat surprising stand.
SHARE is a 33-year-old breast and ovarian cancer support and informational group. Its long-time director fully supports the new guidelines, "because they come out of some very strong evidence, and we at SHARE strongly support evidence-based medicine. And this has been long overdue. This evidence has been accumulating for many, many years, that we need to question what we have been doing with screening mammograms," said Alice Yaker.
Dr. Susan Love, outspoken breast cancer physician and patient advocate, feels the same. "It doesn't make sense to be putting our efforts into doing mammography screening in women under 50 when we can find better tools that will help more women and be more accurate."
It's unclear if the new guidelines will impact insurance reimbursement for mammograms, which cost on average about $125.
The American Cancer Society rejects the new guidelines, arguing any lives saved by mammography are worth the expense. It will continue to recommend annual screening for all women beginning at 40.
"We have made significant gains in reducing deaths from breast cancer over the past 19 or 20 years, and those gains are based in no small part in our recommendation in getting screened every year," said Dr Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society.
Moser did not realize she was at risk for breast cancer, which is why she believes younger women should have mammograms. "To have the technology and to not take advantage of it would be a real loss. It would be throwing away something that could help you."
Remember, this is about screening mammograms for women with no lumps, or symptoms.
For women who have a strong family history, or have one of the known breast cancer genes, the recommendations are still to begin screening at age 40.
Talk to your doctor to work out what's best for you.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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