Mammograms have been proven to detect breast cancer early, and save lives. However, what age to start, how often to get it, and when to stop, are all matters of debate.
Various medical organizations have muddled the issue even further by postulating conflicting guidelines. This has led to confusion, not only among the public, but physicians as well.
This week, The American Cancer Society updated its own guidelines, calling for later and less frequent mammograms, leading to backlash from the public.
Here is a breakdown of recommendations from the four major medical societies:
When should you start getting mammograms?
- ACR (American College of Radiology): 40 years old
- ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists): 40 years old
- ACS (American Cancer Society): 45 years old
- USPSTF (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force): 50 years old.
How often should mammogram be done?
- ACR: Every year
- ACOG: Every one to two years through 49, then annually for 50 and older
- ACS: Annual through 54; at 55, begin getting them every other year
- USPSTF: Every other year
At what age should you stop?
- ACR: When life expectancy is less than seven years or when the woman would not act on an abnormal result of a screening due to age or co morbid conditions
- ACOG: No end date, but women 75 and older should consult with providers on whether to continue
- ACS: No end date if woman is in good health and life expectancy of at least 10 years
- USPSTF: 75 years old
Are you confused yet? Differing guidelines result from imperfect science, and an effort to prevent unnecessary, expensive, and potentially harmful testing.
Mammogram is a screening test, and by definition, would subject some women to “unnecessary” testing. But this can be discussed with the individual patient. Also, the potential harm from mammograms is often exaggerated. Newer technologies such as digital mammogram produce very few false positives. Only less than 10% of women are recalled, and most of these can be resolved by further noninvasive imaging.
Personally, I feel that women should start getting screening mammograms at age 40. Early detection saves lives!
This information is strictly an opinion of Dr Prakash, and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Dr Chris Prakash is a contributing columnist, and author of eParisExtra’s “The Doctor is In” column. He is a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology Paris. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Oncology and Hematology. He lives in Paris, TX with his wife and two children, and can be reached at 9037850031, or Sucharu.prakash@usoncology.com