Newswise — In October, the American Cancer Society (ACS) updated its guidelines for when women at average risk should be screened for breast cancer. These new recommendations are less straightforward than past versions, resulting in confusion among the press, physicians and women.
Debra Monticciolo, M.D., professor of radiology at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and chair of the American College of Radiology’s Commission on Breast Imaging, still urges earlier mammograms, recommending that women get annual mammograms beginning at age 40:
“The American Cancer Society has strongly reaffirmed that mammography screening saves lives. The new ACS guidelines show that if a woman wants to reduce, as much as possible, her risk of dying of breast cancer, she will choose yearly mammography starting at age 40. A recent study in the British Medical Journal confirms this, showing that early detection of breast cancer is critical for improving breast cancer survival, regardless of therapy advances. Moving away from annual screening of women ages 40 and older puts women’s lives at risk.”
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