The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
To screen or not to screen? Talk with your doctor about breast health.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During this annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease, it is a perfect time to remind women about the importance of routine breast cancer screenings.
“One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. However, when women have regular screening mammograms, breast cancers tend to be smaller and lower stage at time of diagnosis, giving patients more options for treatment. Even more importantly, research has repeatedly shown screening mammograms reduce a woman’s risk of dying from breast cancer,” says Laura Shepardson, MD, a diagnostic radiologist and Associate Director of the Section of Breast Imaging at Cleveland Clinic. “That said, there has been much discussion over the past several years about when to start screening mammograms, and how often women should have them.”
In response to the ongoing discussion, multiple specialty organizations have released breast cancer screening guidelines for women at average risk for developing breast cancer. These guidelines are based on both evidence and opinion, yet differ on when to start and how often to screen for breast cancer. Cleveland Clinic professionals representing Breast Imaging, Internal Medicine, Women’s Health, Family Medicine, and Medical/Surgical Oncology, carefully reviewed the data and reached the following consensus: 1. All women should engage in shared decision-making with their providers to decide when to start and how often to screen. 2. All women should have the opportunity to start
screening mammography at age 40. 3. For women ages 45-55, we recommend annual screening mammograms.
4. For women ages 55 and over, we support both the transition from an annual to a biennial interval if this aligns more with patients’ values and preferences, or continuation with annual screening.
5. All women should discuss with their providers when to stop screening mammograms.
“Breast cancer risk increases over age 40 and, if diagnosed, tends to be much more aggressive and harder to treat,” says Alice Rim, MD, diagnostic radiologist, Vice Chairman of the Imaging Institute and Section Head of Breast Imaging in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Cleveland Clinic. “For all women, regardless of age, the best thing you can do is talk with your physician about your individual risk factors and overall breast health to determine the screening regimen best for you.”