Breaking News… on New Mammogram Recommendations

The medical staff at MenopauseRx, Inc. is more than a little surprised by the new recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). For the first time in 20 years, a government panel is telling women in there 40s to stop getting routine mammograms. The MenopauseRx staff is not alone in questioning these new guidelines. Many medical centers, breast cancer survivors, and thousands of health care providers, including doctors, are upset with these new recommendations.

Why did the USPSTF recommendations change?

“The 2009 USPSTF expressed concerns about radiation exposure, false-positive and false-negative results, overdiagnosis, pain during procedures, and anxiety, distress, and other psychological responses.”

However, we at MenopauseRx believe in early disease detection of breast cancer. In light of the significant advances made in reducing the breast cancer death rate and early detection, it does not seem prudent to abandon time tested practices. This includes monthly self breast exams, mammograms every 1-2 years between 40 and 50 years of age, and yearly mammograms after age 50. While false positive mammogram results in women between 40 and 50 may lead to more biopsies, the number of breast cancers detected outweighs these risks in the majority of women. If you are 40 -50 years of age we recommend that you discuss these new guidelines at your annual gynecology appointment.

If you would like to read more regarding breast cancer click here to visit the MenopauseRx Health Center.