The U.S. Preventive Services Tasks Force (USPSTF) has reversed its position on screening mammography for women in their 40s: the group no longer recommends routine screening mammography for average-risk women in this age group. The American Cancer Society, however, has stated that it will continue to recommend annual mammograms starting at the age of 40.
How should women respond to this news? Calmly. There has always been debate about whether or not to recommend routine screening mammography for women in their 40s. The focus of the debate is the balance of risks and benefits. The most important potential benefit of screening mammography is a modest reduction in breast cancer mortality. Potential risks of mammography include false-positive test results (which lead to stress and additional testing), false-negative test results (a missed cancer), and overdiagnosis. Overdiagnosis refers to the diagnosis of a cancer that will never cause health problems during the life of a patient. Overdiagnosis leads to unnecessary cancer treatment.
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