Mammography Screenings Changing?
(Editor's note: This is a guest blog by Lorettajo A. Kapinos, an ED nurse at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA.)
Last month was Breast Cancer Awareness month and I blogged about my experience with a false positive mammogram. Ironically, this is now the center of a new debate: if women, with little to no risk of breast cancer, should have annual mammograms before age 50.
According to the U.S. Preventative Services Task force mammograms should begin at age 50 and be done every two years. For summary of the study and new recomendations on the website, click on this link.
Good Morning America showcased two cancer experts with opposing viewpoints. Dr Susan Love, of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and Dr. Marisa Weiss, President/Founder of Breast Cancer.org. In addition to the above video, Dr. Love's blog in support of these changes can be read here. And Dr.Weiss's thoughts are published here.
What do you think? Do you have experience with Breast Cancer? I had a false positive mammogram that was cleared prior to biopsy. And honestly, though I was stressed for one week, I'd take that any day over being dead. Did you or anyone you know need to have a biopsy that came back normal? Would you do it again?
These recommendations have the potential to incur lots of changes to the way women and their breasts are taken care of by our medical system. Learn everything that you can. Create your own opinion and speak out.