ACOG Revises Screening Mammography Recommendations to Give Women in their 40s More Say on When to Begin

July 10, 2017 | Strategic Insights for Ambulatory Care

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​Women in their 40s at average risk for cancer should talk to their providers about the risks and benefits of mammograms before beginning screening, said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as part of updated guidelines released on June 22, 2017. ACOG had previously recommended that all women begin screening at age 40, but modified the recommendation to make the decision more of a shared process for younger women and their doctors. The risks of breast cancer increase with age starting in the 40s and continuing through the 50s, ACOG said, but the relative risks of screening (such as misdiagnosis and undergoing an unnecessary procedure) may outweigh the benefits for younger women. If a woman does not begin screening in her 40s, she should begin no later than 50, ACOG said.

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