For decades, women have been told to get mammograms beginning at 40 years old, and keep on top of self exams. Now a government task force has released new guidelines that say women should wait until 50 years old. It also questions the benefits of self exams.
Anne Mandelblatt with the Lombardi Cancer Center says the benefits of starting screening at 40 were smaller, and accompanied by significant harms to women. "By harms I mean there were women that would undergo false positive exams, unnecessary biopsies and even be treated for cancers that would never have harmed them."
The most concern seems to be coming from breast cancer survivors. Nicole Shaffer is from Lititz, Lancaster County. She is a nurse practitioner, mother of three, and a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed just about one year ago at the age of 35. "When the surgeon told me my MRI didn't look good, I was devastated. I just didn't want to miss out on my boys growing up. I have a supportive husband. The whole family piece really went through my mind."
She questions the findings and says early detection is what saves lives. Describing her network of friends who are also survivors, she says many are alive today because of mammograms. "Had they not had mammograms, they wouldn't have found it for two years, four years, ten years if you go up to age 50. They would have been dead."
The task force does say these are only guidelines and that women should check with their doctors for more advice and clarification.
The American Cancer Society has released a statement saying they will stick by their belief that mammograms should begin at 40.
Anne Mandelblatt with the Lombardi Cancer Center says the benefits of starting screening at 40 were smaller, and accompanied by significant harms to women. "By harms I mean there were women that would undergo false positive exams, unnecessary biopsies and even be treated for cancers that would never have harmed them."
The most concern seems to be coming from breast cancer survivors. Nicole Shaffer is from Lititz, Lancaster County. She is a nurse practitioner, mother of three, and a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed just about one year ago at the age of 35. "When the surgeon told me my MRI didn't look good, I was devastated. I just didn't want to miss out on my boys growing up. I have a supportive husband. The whole family piece really went through my mind."
She questions the findings and says early detection is what saves lives. Describing her network of friends who are also survivors, she says many are alive today because of mammograms. "Had they not had mammograms, they wouldn't have found it for two years, four years, ten years if you go up to age 50. They would have been dead."
The task force does say these are only guidelines and that women should check with their doctors for more advice and clarification.
The American Cancer Society has released a statement saying they will stick by their belief that mammograms should begin at 40.
