Saying most women don't need them until 50
By Jarod Wells
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:01 p.m.
Read more: Local, State, National, Health
(Quincy, Ill.) A US government task force now says most women don't need to start getting mammograms until they're 50.
Even then, they should only be done every two years, not every year.
This goes against what the American Cancer Society has long advocated.
The task force says that more screening means more painful biopsies and more anxiety, not to mention more tax on the health care system.
It comes at a time when mammograms are helping drive down the breast cancer death toll.
We spoke with a radiologist at Blessing Hospital to get his take on the task forces recommendations.
"They use the number between 15% and 20%. So they're saying that by beginning at 40 they can pick up between 15% and 20% more cancer than if they started at 50. To them that doesn't see to be a significant figure. To me it's very significant. It's 1 out of 5," said Blessing Hospital Radiologist Tony Rodriguez.
What is your recommendation to women regarding mammograms?
"My recommendation right now is just to not do anything, to wait and have things fall into place," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says you should not change when or how often you get mammograms until more studies are done.
The American Cancer Society says it will continue to advise that women over 40 get annual mammograms.
But there is talk that the new task force recommendation could influence whether insurance will pay for the procedure.
The new guidelines are not for women who have high risk factors for breast cancer.
