The American Cancer Society Has Issued New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines - Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations

The breast cancer screening debate rages on

Up until now, the American Cancer Society has recommended that women have annual mammograms starting at age 40. But on Tuesday, the group issued new guidelines suggesting that women with an average risk of breast cancer start annual breast exams at the age of 45, and continue once a year until age 54. After that, breast-cancer screenings should be continued every other year, as long as you otherwise have a clean bill of health. So why the sudden change?

The modifications correlate to the rising evidence that mammography is not always accurate, especially in younger women, and the idea that breast cancer is not common enough in young age groups to make mammography worthwhile. In fact, it seems that premature breast screening can lead to false positive test results and unnecessary biopsies. As reported in the New York Times, Dr. Richard C. Wender, the ACS's chief cancer control officer, says the change in policy resulted from an in-depth review of the research data that the society regularly conducts in order to update screening guidelines. 

Some experts agree with the American Cancer Society, while others still believe that screening should be done earlier and more frequently. The controversy between various influential groups— including the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists—has left many women confused, hoping that their doctors can help them figure out what makes the most sense for their personal circumstances. 

But while the new guidelines published in the Journal of the American Medical Association may seem like a big change, the cancer society did make sure to state that younger women should still "have the opportunity" to get tested, ultimately leaving the decision up to the individual. 

The ACS is also saying that it no longer recommends clinical breast exams (which involve doctors or nurses use their hands to feel for lumps), for women of any age who haven't experienced any symptoms of breast abnormality. According to the society, there was no evidence that the exams saved lives, but rather that they could result in false positives, leading to unnecessary tests.

According to the New York Times, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists will be hosting a conference next January, along with the ACS, the NCCN, and others, to work toward coming up with a comprehensive set of screening guidelines.