Biennial mammography endorsed for those aged 50 to 74 years; earlier screening is individual decision
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published online Dec. 12 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
On behalf of the USPSTF, Albert L. Siu, M.D., M.S.P.H., and colleagues reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness of breast cancer screening to update the 2009 USPSTF recommendations.
For women aged 50 to 74 years, the USPSTF recommends biennial screening mammography (B recommendation). The decision to initiate screening at an earlier age should be individual; women who place a higher value on the potential benefit than the potential harms may choose to begin screening between ages 40 and 49 years (C recommendation). For women aged older than 75 years, the current evidence is inadequate to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening (I statement). Furthermore, the current evidence is insufficient for assessing the benefits and harms of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) as a primary screening method, and of adjunctive screening using breast ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, DBT, or other methods in women with dense breasts on negative screening mammogram (I statements).
“Women deserve to understand what the science says about mammography screening, so that they can make the best decision for themselves, in partnership with their doctor,” USPSTF vice chair Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Ph.D., M.D., said in a statement.
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