HEALTHMammography's role in detecting breast cancer reinforcedThe Dept. of Health and Human Services supports its use as a screening tool and lowers the recommended age for its initial use.By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. March 11, 2002. Washington -- Stepping into a long-brewing controversy, the federal government endorsed the use of mammography as an effective screening tool for breast cancer. "The federal government makes a clear recommendation to women on mammography: If you are 40 or older, get screened for breast cancer with mammography every one to two years," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, at a Feb. 21 news conference. The recommendation is based on a review of the scientific literature by the U.S. Preventive Services task force on the effectiveness of mammography at detecting breast cancer and prolonging the lives of women with breast cancer. While the task force did find that the studies reviewed had limitations, it concluded that there was fair evidence that mammography screening every one to two years could reduce breast cancer mortality by approximately 20% to 25% over 10 years. The finding not only negates a recent review of the same literature by Danish researchers that questioned the effectiveness of mammography at reducing mortality, but also broadens the recommendations made by the task force in 1996. An earlier review led the task force to recommend routine breast cancer screening every one to two years for women ages 50 to 69. Since then, new studies and extended follow-up from the earlier trials provided new information on the benefits of breast cancer screening for women 40 and older, according to the task force. However, the strongest evidence of the benefit of mammography remained among women ages 50 to 69, according to task force documents.
[...]
Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2002 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
|
Feature articlesHealth reform review The Massachusetts experience Litigation stress Being sued is personal as well as professional Comprehensive coverage
Most-viewedNov. 23 issueAMA meeting: Delegate vote refines AMA stance on system reform Liability premiums stay stable, but insurers warn this might not last Columns and series
From the vault: 5 years agoState tort reform ballot wins set stage for further battles Nov. 22, 2004 
|
SHARE
