Mammography Screening Guidelines Challenged
The American College of Physicians (ACP), which represents internists, issued its own version of screening guidelines for mammography. These suggest that women under age 50 should consult their personal physician to determine if screening mammography is necessary.
Current guidelines endorsed by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cancer Institute recommend mammography screening every one to two years for most women. Some controversy surrounds the guidelines due to the supposed survival benefits for women in this age group and the costs (healthcare related and emotional) associated with false positives.
ACP encourages women to engage with providers to assess undergoing mammography. Part of the intent of the new guidelines is to increase patient involvement in healthcare decision making. The guidelines are called “evidence-based” rather than consensus guidelines, as with the current ACS recommendations.
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April 3, 2007 Related topics: Imaging, Diagnostic