IF THEY LOOK THEY FIND:

Benefits of Mammograms For Women in 40s Challenged (Rob Stein, 4/03/07, Washington Post)

The nation's largest medical specialty group is challenging the widely accepted recommendation that women routinely undergo mammograms in their 40s, saying the risks of the breast exams may outweigh the benefits for many women.

Reopening a long-running debate, the American College of Physicians, which represents 120,000 internists, issued new guidelines today that instead urge women in their 40s to consult with their doctors about whether to have the breast X-rays.

The group based its recommendations on a comprehensive review of mammography research that concluded that the benefits are less clear for women in their 40s than for those 50 and older, and that screening carries significant risks, including exposure to radiation and unnecessary biopsies, surgery and chemotherapy.

Screen finely enough and everything seems like a lump.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 3, 2007 12:01 AM