WASHINGTON — Deciding when to get routine mammograms is confusing. Some health groups recommend women begin at age 40 or 45 while another recently opted for age 50. They also differ on whether yearly or every other year is best.
The conflicting advice is at least partly because guidelines for breast cancer screening are designed for women at average risk and with no possible cancer symptoms. But b...
The new recommendations highlight ongoing debates over breast cancer screening guidelines and the nuances of risk assessment. While some health groups are pushing for earlier screenings, others advocate for a more tailored approach based on individual risk factors. The ACP's focus on every-other-year mammograms reflects an effort to balance the benefits and harms of screening in different age groups, particularly for women in their 40s where the benefits may be less clear. However, these guideli...