The American Cancer Society has released new guidelines to update their guidelines from 2003 which suggested women get a mammogram every year after they turn 40 and have regular breast exams. The new guidelines strive to “evidence based recommendations” for physicians and women who are having discussions about breast cancer.
You can read the entire thing in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Here are the new recommendations:
The ACS recommends that women with an average risk of breast cancer should undergo regular screening mammography starting at age 45 years (strong recommendation).
Women aged 45 to 54 years should be screened annually (qualified recommendation).
Women 55 years and older should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue screening annually (qualified recommendation).
Women should have the opportunity to begin annual screening between the ages of 40 and 44 years (qualified recommendation).
Women should continue screening mammography as long as their overall health is good and they have a life expectancy of 10 years or longer (qualified recommendation).
The ACS does not recommend clinical breast examination for breast cancer screening among average-risk women at any age (qualified recommendation).
NBC goes through different guidelines from various groups about mammograms and what age and frequency would make them most effective. The information can be intimidating but hopefully these guidelines will lead to more early detection.
(via NBC)
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