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Last week, a major public health agency broadened its breast cancer screening advice to involve younger women. However, some critics say an important group has been left out. The US Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) provided new instructions on April 30 advising women aged 40-74 to undergo mammograms every two years. This is a major adjustment from previous recommendations, which stated that women should start having mammograms at 50 but could start as early as 40.
Concerns have been raised that the guidelines did not include screening suggestions for women above 74. The USPSTF mentioned in the guidance that, in women aged 75 and older, the current evidence was inadequate to compare the benefits and disadvantages of mammography. Notably, these changes come despite a study revealing that some breast cancer patients could be susceptible to another type of cancer.
Dr. Denise Pate, Medical Director with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder, criticized the lack of mammogram recommendations for elder women, describing it as an outdated view that underrates the potential of women older than 75.
One of the primary reasons women over 74 were excluded is their lack of representation in clinical trials. Also, the primary risk mentioned for screening older women is the possibility of false positives, resulting in distressing false alarms. But according to Dr. Pate, the risks of not screening outweigh the distress, leaving these women uninformed about their status.
Currently, women have the option to continue screenings past 74, covered by their insurance plans. In addition, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Cancer Society, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend mammograms starting at age 40, advocating that screening should continue as long as women are generally healthy and have a life expectancy of 10 years or more.
Despite this, a call for more evidence on this essential population has been made, urging women who are 75 and older to discuss preventive care with a trusted healthcare professional, considering their unique health circumstances.
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