According to updated guidelines set forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, women in their 40s should NOT get routine mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. The task force also recommends that women in their 50s get screened every other year instead of annually. Huh??? It's a controversial topic among doctors--not to mention the 51% majority of people in this country who are women. One cancer expert said this:
Unfortunately, everybody has friends who've suffered from breast cancer. My sister and maternal aunt both are breast cancer survivors, so this topic strikes especially close to the vest, (no pun intended!) I'd hate to see the insurance companies use these latest recommendations to deny coverage of annual exams. As with most things in life and in medicine, there are trade-offs to having a mammogram, including radiation exposure. So ultimately it's up to us to decide what's best for us and our breasts. Click here to read a very insightful blog about the pros and cons of mammograms, written by a fantastic woman, Lissa Rankin, founder of Owning Pink, an online community for women, who also happens to be a GYN doc.
Meanwhile, take care of yourselves in the way that's best for you. As for me, I'm making an appointment for my yearly mammo TODAY!
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