October 2022 is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and raising awareness is indeed important, as early detection of breast cancer is often said to be key to a good outcome.
While the experts seem in agreement that women aged 50 to 74 years-old with average risk should be regularly screened with a mammogram every one or two years, their recommendations vary on when a woman should begin screenings. The opinions appear wide ranging in some cases and subtly different in other cases.
As an example of wide-ranging differences in opinion, the International Agency for Research on Cancer notes that mammograms are of limited value for women aged 40 to 49 years of age, but the American College of Radiology recommends a mammogram for this group every year.
In contrast, there's a subtler difference between the American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP's) and the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). For the 40 to 49 year-old age group, AAFP notes that the potential harm of screening outweighs the potential benefit. The USPSTF appears to take a similar point of view, but adds that biennial screening is a possibility for some people.
Confused? The Centers for Disease Control has compiled a chart comparing the different recommendations from seven expert organizations:
Along with your doctor's advice, you can use the CDC's chart to inform a decision that makes sense for you, given your medical history and how you value potential benefits and harms. View the CDC’s chart by clicking here.
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