I’ve been reading a bunch of the responses to the new mammogram guidelines. I found this good list of takes on both sides and the key basic facts you should know. Here’s a look at the first three of sixteen items.
1) When it comes to routine mammograms, we’re talking about screening people with NO symptoms. Any breast lump, pain, discharge, dimpling, or rash needs a thorough evaluation - that’s a completely different topic.
2) We’re talking about screening people with average risks - NOT anyone with genetic, family, or other history that puts them at increased risk - also a completely different topic.
3) Mammograms save lives. That’s a proven and re-proven fact. They’re far from perfect, but here are the numbers, by age group: “For ages 40-49, the analysis of the results by the USPSTF showed a 15% reduction in breast cancer mortality, which was similar to the risk reduction for women aged 50-59 while the risk reduction was 32% for women aged 60-69.”
