34 days ago
BANGOR (NEWS CENTER) -- Physicians and breast cancer organizations say they are shocked by the new federal recommendations that women shouldn't get mammograms until they're 50.
The recommendations, printed in Tuesday's Annals of Internal Medicine, based on a study by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommends that women who are at an average risk of breast cancer should not start getting mammograms until they're 50. At that point they should only be every other year. "This is dangerous," said Dr. Susan O'Connor, the medical director of the Breast and Osteoporosis Center at Eastern Maine Medical Center. "The type of breast cancers we're looking for on mammograms are the ones you can't feel. Ideally we find it when it's a microscopic disease and it isn't even dangerous at that point. And it requires very minimal treatment." The American Cancer Society has denounced the findings, saying women should still get annual screenings starting at age 40. ACS's Vice President of Health Initiatives in Maine, Kip DeSerres, said mammograms are the best tests available, and they have saved the lives of many women between 40 and 49. "Basically the study says it saves lives, but not enough lives," said DeSerres. "But mammograms are the best tests we have." The task force said while there is convincing evidence that screening mammograms reduces mortality, there is a greater reduction in women between the ages of 50 and 74 than for women 40 to 49. To that argument, Dr. O'Connor says at her center in the past year and a half they have found 42 cases of breast cancer in women between 40 and 49. Sally Bilancia, the executive director of the Maine affiliate of Susan G Komen For The Cure, said her organization is not changing its stance that women should start getting screened annually at age 40. "We really feel that early detection is key," she said. "And although mammography is not perfect, it is our best tool at this time to detect breast cancer early. And a really early detection is key to survival." Dr. O'Connor said the longer women wait to have mammograms, and the more time in between them, the greater risk they run of having a cancer become more invasive. Dr. O'Connor also added that although the study dismisses the importance of breast self-exams, she said women should be familiar with their bodies so that they can tell their doctors if there are any changes. "A breast self-exam doesn't cause harm and it's inexpensive," she said.
She is worried what the new recommendations will mean for insurance coverage. She said if mammograms are not part of preventative care, some women may be less inclined to get them.
According to statistics from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine's rate of breast cancer in females is slightly higher than the national average, but the female breast cancer mortality rate is lower.
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