Breast Cancer Controversy: No More Routine Mammograms for Women Ages 40 to 49?!

I look to the Nordic Cochrane Institute for unbiased advice and research. They soundly criticised the BreastScreen brochures given to women in Australia, the UK and other countries. Of course the screening authorities owe their survival to convincing women they should screen and are most unlikely to put together anything balanced. The NCI have produced a great information sheet you can access at their website, "The risks and benefits of mammograms". I'd recommend it to all women. I made an informed decision when I turned 50 not to have mammograms. I've never permitted routine breast exams, there is no evidence they help or bring down the death rate, but they cause unnecessary biopsies and some believe they are a risk factor for cancer. See: Hands off my chest doctor! I think doctors often do exams on women without thinking of the need, benefit or risk - just a bad habit. Our doctors have never recommended routine pelvic exams - they are of no benefit but expose you to risk. (further harmful investigations even surgery) Pap smears - be careful, many women are over-screened and that risks your health. The more often you screen and the younger you are - the more likely you'll get a false positive and have unnecessary biopsies or treatment. Finland has the lowest rates of cc in the world and they offer screening 5 yearly from age 30 - 5 to 7 tests in total and they also send the fewest women for biopsies. (fewer false positives) The evidence shows that women under 25 do not benefit from smears but produce huge numbers of false positives. Screening is of negligible value in the 25-30 age range. This cancer is uncommon and very rare in women under 25. When 99.35% of women derive no benefit from smears,(including the 0.35% who get false negatives) it's important not to over-react to the small risk. Only 1% of women would get this cancer in an unscreened developed country and with screening 0.35% still get cancer. (false negatives) but 2 yearly screening sends 77% of women for colposcopy/biopsies - that's huge over-diagnosis. Dr Raffle, UK screening expert produced some figures that were published in the BMJ in 2003, "1000 women need regular smears for 35 years to save ONE woman from cc"....see "Why I'll never have another smear test" by Anna Saybourn where they discuss this research. As a low risk woman, I made an informed decision not to screen 30 years ago. Anyone interested: my stats are taken from an article by Richard DeMay, you'll find it at Dr Joel Sherman's medical privacy blog under women's privacy issues - in the side bar you'll find lots of information. More than ever we need to do our own research to protect ourselves from harm. I'm concerned about breast cancer, it is a common cancer, but exams and mammograms are not the answer IMO...I've decided to follow the "breast awareness" program - taking note of the look and shape of my breasts in the mirror every day after my shower. (devised by the late Dr Joan Austoker from Oxford University)

I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer on a routine mammogram at age 49. I had always done self breast exams and on the day of the mammogram received a "clinical" breast exam. Nothing was palpable. I had no risk factors. When the mammogram returned suspicious and I was sent for further testing, I questioned why there was no palpable lump. The radiologist showed me the images and the cancer looked like little white flecks scattered throughout the breast. He said it would have been a long time, if ever, before an actual lump could be palpated. Thankfully since it was my 3rd mammogram - I had not religiously gotten them annually from 40 - it was caught early. It was a very aggressive triple negative cancer. I proceeded with bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy. I am absolutely certain that mammogram saved my life and have talked with too many others since starting this journey with a similar story. Money has to be the ONLY reason for this new recommendation in my opinion!!

I was diagnosed with stage 2 ductal carcinoma breast cancer 4 days before my 46th birthday. After a lumpectomy to try to conserve the breast, they found that there were not 1 but 4 DIFFERENT breast cancers, like beads on a string, in my body, the surrounding tissue was full of precancerous cells, and the sentinal lymph node was involved. I had a full mastectomy, my ovaries and tubes removed, chemo, radiation, and a series of reconstructive surgeries. I am now 48, and I truly believe that, if my cancer had not been found by my YEARLY MAMMOGRAM, I would be in the hospital with widespread cancer now, or I would be dead. I have a husband and 2 children, now 11 and 9, plus a mother, 4 brothers and 1 sister, who are glad as can be that I'm still here and now cancer-free. Are these money-grubbing idiots trying to tell me that my life cost too much to save?!?! No one on the panel was an oncologist, but they had 2 pediatricians??? I am so outraged by this recommendation; I can't help but wonder if any of these people have had any experience at all with breast cancer in their families or friends. I have been recommending to everyone I know to get mammograms, and am now telling them that, no matter what this "panel" says, their lives ARE worth spending money on!!!!! Get your mammograms, ladies, learn how to do a self-exam and get your gynecologist to check you yearly. Husbands, families and friends, support your loved one in this. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING IMPORTANT TO LOSE! God bless all.

Thank you for this wonderful comment; you present an important perspective, that of the caregiver and husband.

My wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 48 through a mammogram. Prior to this, she had gone through two biopsies spanning about 6 or 7 years, which isn't a trivial procedure, as those that have gone through it well know. If my wife had not actually been diagnosed with cancer, I may have agreed with the findings. Now that's she's had cancer, surgury, Chemo, radiation, etc. and is in recovery, we are hoping for a long, enjoyable life ahead. Without the mammogram, I'm certain things would have been much different based on how aggressive the cancer was (which I understand is common in younger women). I strongly encourage all women to disregard the new recommendations and get checked regularly. Your life may depend on it.