Mourning Has Broken
Sharing Reflections on Surviving Breast Cancer

• 17 November 2009

As a breast cancer survivor who found her cancer at 43,I couldn’t let another day go by without commenting on yesterday’s breast cancer screening recommendations from a panel of experts. In case you haven’t heard, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women under 50 of low or average risk scrap being routinely screened for breast cancer.  Their rationale?  The risk of false positives and unneeded radiation and biopsies outweighs the benefits of blanket screening. A cost-benefit analysis also played into this recommendation. This panel still suggests mammograms for women with a family history of breast cancer or who are otherwise at high risk. For more details check out http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/news-417459-98.html?ic=6006.

These latest guidelines are controversial.  The American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology and some other experts disagree with the findings. Still, insurance companies might well use this panel’s newest release as an excuse not to cover mammograms for women in their forties.

I’d be interested in your opinion. Please join in taking the survey I’ve created on this controversial subject by clicking on the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=MT1uhaKNg50glsw0BibO_2bw_3d_3d. Once the results are in, I will share them with you.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Jan

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  • breastcancer com,
  • cancer survivors,
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  • mammograms,
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  • routine screening
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