New Mammogram Guidelines for Earlier Detection of Breast Cancer

Recommendations for the new mammogram guidelines have been subject for debate for some years now. In return created frustration for some physicians and confusion to the general public on when to start screening and/or how often to do it.

Tampa Bay Times reports that the United States Preventive Services Task Force is issuing updated recommendations as guidelines for earlier detection of breast cancer for the general public. In its previous recommendation in 2009, it created a controversy that women at 40s are at average risk of this disease.

However, these new guidelines have been revised and were issued late Monday. The said guidelines for earlier detection of breast cancer reveal that women between 50 and 74 must have routine screening at least once in every two years.

The task force's final recommendation, as added by Tampa Bay Times, is pushing this issue into controversy because there are some other groups that say that breast cancer screening should be done earlier. For instance, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists group says that regular check-up begins at the age of 40. Another group, the American Cancer Society, though recommends that yearly screening should start at the age of 45 and every two years at the age of 55.

Meanwhile, according to NorthJersey.com, women who are in their 40s should weigh whether it is very important to do the screening. As it is, earlier detection of breast cancer can reduce death rates that is a very important matter for people, especially those who are afflicted by it. But as mentioned earlier, the task force has changed its recommendations, which could also affect the scope of government programs and insurers that follow these guidelines to decide in covering the preventive services.

In light with this publication of new set of guidelines, however, a director at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Dr. Madelyn Danoff, said that this "doesn't influence how I practice at all," which is an echo to other radiologists' and surgeons' thoughts. "I still firmly believe in annual screening after 40, as do all breast radiologists. I practice the same way," she added.

Regular mammograms for women in their 40s, according to local experts, can detect the disease in a few and can save lives. However, the task force has said that the balance of harm and benefit changes as women age, but women can still decide for themselves on when to begin screening.

Additionally, the task force has first recommended that breast screening starts at 50 instead of 40 back in 2009. It then faced huge criticism at the time. Then the Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 that requires certain preventive services to be provided for free, which are in line with the task force's recommendations but with an amendment that insurers use the 2002 guidelines.

Related to this news, ABC News shows a video of an interview of a concerned physician regarding this heated up issue and debate.