Use New Mammogram Advice

Mammogram Advice

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggested that mammograms are not necessary before age 50, largely because of the incidence of false positives.
Plenty of women with thick breast tissue can get false positive results, while the task force pointed out that the check itself increases radiation exposure that could increase the likelihood of a positive result.

New mammogram recommendations from a Department of Health & Human Services task force in late 2009 generated vigorous debate on how early women should start having mammograms & how often they ought to partake in this potentially lifesaving check, which screens for lumps in breast tissue that then can be tested for cancerous cells.

Breast cancer survivors under the age of 50 & the American Cancer Society were speedy to contest these suggestions. The American Cancer Society, which formed a research panel on the topic in 2003, issued a statement that the organization “specifically noted that the overall effectiveness of mammography increases with increasing age \.\. but the limitations do not change the fact that breast cancer screening using mammography beginning at age 40 saves lives.

The task force further stated that since women often conduct self-examinations incorrectly, self-exams should not be emphasized as part of reproductive health.

“With its new recommendations, the [task force] is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives; not of them,” the American Cancer Society .

Survivors are speedy to step behind the same logic, & skeptics of the new suggestions have expressed concern that the task force’s suggestions will be used to formulate new health care owner.


For now the task force’s recommendations remain only that, with powerful debate fueling both sides of the argument. But it is important for each person to take the time to educate herself about reproductive health care & make her own decisions.

Be an informed participant in your health care.

Know your relatives medical history, keep a health journal and prepare thoroughly for doctor’s visits by arriving with a list of topics, questions, thoughts and concerns written out.

Your relatives history helps choose your risk factor for developing breast cancer. A health journal allows you to document exact health concerns, their symptoms and their dates. Even if you don’t write every day, keep a health record with your other important documents such as your living will and your Social Security card so you can record serious illnesses and changes to health.

Lovely preparation for a doctor’s visit allows you to get the most out of the time you spend in the office. Since you pay for your health care, make sure you are taking full advantage of the professionals at your disposal.

Investigate the literature.

Read the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force document & a number of the secondary literature. Lots of women are not involved in their reproductive health care or in health care news in general. For example, did you know that even medical professionals who support beginning mammograms young in life agree that there should be a better check obtainable? Or that researchers are working to generate an accurate imaging method that could two day take the place of biopsies?

Keep up to date with research advancements &, more importantly, owner decisions to ensure that you have a voice in health care assessments & verdicts. Check in on web-sites such as Medical News Today (see Resources) to stay informed.

Pick a doctor you like

It is common to feel that your gynecologist is judging you because they are so aware about intimate parts of your life, such as how lots of sexual partners you have been with, how often you use protection & your STD history. A lovely doctor won’t make you feel scrutinized, ashamed or uncomfortable.

Shop around until you are comfortable with your gynecologist. As with any health care professional, make sure you never feel rushed or unwelcome at his or her office. Additionally, ask yourself honestly if you feel as at ease with a male doctor as you would with a female.

Ask friends about their doctors & shop around within your health care plan to make sure you select the best possible health care provider.

Talk to your doctor

Discuss the mammogram debate with your doctor. The medical community is in the technique of forming opinions about the advice from the task force & your doctor can provide you with a valuable insider point of view.

Bring copies of literature you would like to discuss & ask if they or they has any additional reading to recommend. Make a special non-medical appointment to discuss the issue so your doctor knows what to expect when you come to the office.

It will probably only take 15 minutes to pick your doctor’s brain, & they or they will be impressed that you are so concerned & informed about health care issues.

Continue self-exams

Even if the exam is conducted nontraditionally, as long as it is performed the same way every time you will be able to observe and note changes. For the best results with self-exams make sure you conduct them on the same day every month, preferably one or two days after the finish of your menstrual cycle.

Performing self-exams provides time to think about your health and check in with your body. It is important to know what your breasts feel like and look like so that you can document changes in your health journal easily.

Much information is available to learn how to conduct a breast self-exam, including a link in the Resource section below. Help your doctors do their job by being aware of your body.

Talk to loved ones

Discuss current health care news with them so that they can also be informed, educated citizens and patients. Keep them up to date about your health care decisions and expect the same from them.

Ultimately the decision of how often to receive a mammogram is yours and yours alone. But check in with your relatives because they are strongly invested in your health and may have an opinion. Talk to them about concerns and use them to help write your pro and con lists.