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A government panel tasked with making recommendations for preventative medical treatments finalized its latest position on breast cancer screening Tuesday: Women with an average risk of the disease will have the best balance of benefits and harms if they get screened once every two years between age 50 and 74. For those aged 40 to 50, screening should be an individual choice based on health and personal values, the panel concluded.
The position by the panel—the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)—firms up the recommendation it made back in 2009, even though the panel took new data and advanced screening methods into account for its update. Still, the recommendation conflicts with those from other leading health organizations in the US and abroad, highlighting the uncertainty about screening’s benefits and the confusion women face as they manage their health.
In October, the American Cancer Society updated its recommendation. The society suggests that women with an average risk of the disease—that is, no additional risks such as genetic predisposition or breast tissue changes—are best served by getting annual exams starting at age 45 and then transitioning to screens every two years at age 55.
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