Contributed by Nicole Weaver| 03 April, 2007 02:43 GMT
Mammograms to screen for breast cancer are not for every woman between the ages of 40 and 49, according to a new clinical practice guideline offered by the
American College of Physicians.
The guideline and supporting information are published in the organization's journal, the
Annals of Internal Medicine.
Although the use of mammography to screen for breast cancer had been credited with lower mortality from the disease, there are risks associated with the procedure, including false positives, radiation exposure and unnecessary treatment for lesions that might never become clinically significant.
The risk of breast cancer is not evenly distributed across the 40-to-49 age range, ACP noted, which means that not everyone will reap the same potential benefits from mammography.
The new guideline is designed to encourage women to "become part of the decision-making process" and engage in dialogue with their doctors about whether to have the procedure, said Lynne Kirk, MD, FACP, president of ACP.
The guideline makes four recommendations for women between the ages of 40 and 49:
Clinicians should periodically perform individualized assessment of risk for breast cancer to help guide decisions about screening mammography.
Clinicians should inform women in this age group about the potential benefits and harms of screening mammography.
Clinicians should base screening mammography decisions on benefits and harms of screening as well as a woman's preferences and breast cancer risk profile.
ACP recommends further research on the net benefits and harms of breast cancer screening modalities for women in this age group.
"If a woman between the ages of 40 and 49 decides not to have a mammogram, she and her doctor should readdress the issue every one to two years," said Kirk. |
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