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Entry bubble Should Mammograms Wait Until 50?

By: Colleen | November 25, 2009 | Category: Health

In the past week, the news has been abuzz with the announcement from an independent panel that a woman should delay getting a mammogram until age 50.

Generally, doctors and the American Cancer Society recommend annual mammograms beginning at age 40.

The panel says that while it is great that women are being educated about breast cancer, they are highly overestimating the likelihood of getting the disease. Few women are aware that often mammograms can lead to false alarms and unnecessary treatments.

It is thought that because breast cancer awareness is so highly publicized and on the public's radar (think of the NFL last month-all pink hats and team emblems in support of the cause) that it is over exposed and leads women to have irrational fears regarding the cause of the disease.

Do you think women should be routinely getting a mammogram at age 40? What do you think about the new findings?

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: american_cancer_society   awareness   breast_cancer   mammogram  

Comments (6):

blue comment bubble Posted by Concerned on November 25, 2009 at 06:18 AM EST

Women at higher than normal risk should maybe even consider starting earlier.

My mother in law was just re-diagnosed after 1 yr. She wanted a masectomy last time but the Drs (and insurance?) insisted on a lumpectomy instead, that taking the entire breast was unecessary and overkill (expensive?). Hard to consider that a valid opinion today. If they'd done the job right the first time would not have to go through all this again.

What's wrong with the health care system? overburdened doctors, insurance companies making medical decisions, paternalistic medicine that inflates the doctors' egos more than caring for the patient's well-being.

instead of force feeding health insurance why not ban it and force the health care industry back into the free market economy?

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blue comment bubble Posted by Ellie on November 25, 2009 at 08:52 AM EST

Thank you for starting the dialogue. I personally know of two friends who died before age 50 of breast cancer that was first detected by a mammogram and then spread to other areas. Neither had a family history of breast cancer. Pre-menopausal breast cancer can be very deadly, not just anecdotal.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Peppermint on November 25, 2009 at 09:20 AM EST

I think that women should continue doing what they've been doing because it works. I think the argument that the emotional stress of a false positive is soooo detrimental to a woman's health that they should just hold off getting tested for another 10 years is an abomination!! Also, they said that the new testing guide lines will be 80-some percent as effective as the current guide lines like its a good thing. Since when did we start hating women again? Save the boobies!!!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Joan on November 25, 2009 at 11:30 AM EST

Since I am due for a mammogram next week I called my doctor to see if she still thinks it is necessary to have one annually.
Turns out she is still recommending annual mammagrams.
But what I wonder is, how long before insurance companies adopt the new guidelines and stop paying for the yearly test?

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blue comment bubble Posted by DebraMcCullough on December 01, 2009 at 04:38 PM EST

No, women should not wait until 40 or 50 to start. Why? My family has a history of breast cancer: My baby sister found a small lump through self exam, misdiagnosed as fibercystist by Dr; year later cancer was diagnosed in 3rd stage. She died leaving 2 children at age 29. My Cousin died before age 40 with it as well; 2 of my aunts diagnosed before age 50 and are still alive thanks to early detection; So is a second cousin. If they would have all waited until age 50 to have exams we would of had 5 funerals to go to instead of 2.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Macho on January 03, 2010 at 11:31 AM EST

My lady friends daughter at age 19 got a lump removed....a cancers one....listening to others that have personal knowledge not just "I heard about" but personal knowledge of others under the age of 30 with similar situations, I think it was reprehensible to put out 50 as an age to start.....

I have heard for years, the argument for making me wear a seat belt in the car..."if it saves one life it is worth it" so I have to wear seat belts...if not I pay a fine...am I the only one that wonders what’s the difference...if it can save one daughter one wife one mother it should be done earlier not later...what’s 100 false results compared to the sorrow of one female family member dying....

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