Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening Updated

The USPS Task Force, a government-appointed, independent body, assessed the risks and benefits of screening mammography. In doing so, the Task Force found that the risks of mammography, including radiation, unnecessary tests, false positives and false negatives, outweighed the benefits for women age 40-49.  Therefore, they do not recommend that everyone in this age group be routinely screened and recommend delaying this testing until age 50. The Task Force also recommends that post-menopausal women have screening every two years, rather than annually.

The confusion that grew out of these new recommendations lead Breast Cancer Action (BCA), a long-time partner of Women’s Cancer Action and its predecessor, Women’s Cancer Resource Center, to create a task force to revise its screening policy.

I was honored to serve on this task force for the past six months with experienced cancer activists from around the country. BCA has recently released their Screening Recommendations and Policy to offer suggestions to women on how to make informed decisions about screening. We encourage every woman to read the full policy, and carefully consider their own particular circumstances, including age, race, family history and radiation history.

BCA recommends women not at elevated risk for breast cancer participate in mammography screening for breast cancer:

•Beginning at menopause (one year following cessation of menstruation)

•Every other year until age 75

•After 75, at intervals that take into consideration their other health conditions

BCA recommends that women not at elevated risk for breast cancer have a clinical breast exam ideally annually or at least once every three years. Women should begin having clinical breast exams when they begin receiving care from a women’s health provider, but at least by age 21. These exams can be performed by anyone who has been formally trained. The provider does not need to be a doctor.

BCA recommends that women know their bodies, but how to go about this is entirely up to them. Even if they are getting regular clinical breast exams, and/or mammograms at the appropriate times, a familiarity with one's own body may be the best approach.  After all, a third of all breast cancers are found by women themselves. Any changes should, of course, be reported to a health care provider and pursued according to the wishes of the individual.

It is important to remember that breast cancer screenings test healthy women with no known symptoms of breast cancer.  This is different from diagnostic interventions used when someone identifies a breast lump or finds an abnormality on a mammogram. And, there is NO screening option that PREVENTS breast cancer.

Women’s Cancer Action realizes that detecting breast cancer means more than mammography. We support the creation and access of better tools that do not contain radiation, a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), as well as access to quality health care for us all.

Barbra Wiener, Co-Chair of Women's Cancer Action