14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Gov't report: No mammograms before 50

Gov't report: No mammograms before 50

By Laura Forbes - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - There has been plenty of feedback Tuesday over a government study on breast cancer screening.

One recommendation: women not at a high risk don't need a mammogram until age 50.

14 News spoke to one local doctor who disagrees.

The new government report said most women under 50 don't need a mammogram, and even then, only every other year.

This guideline is a major change from the previous recommendation of every year starting at age 40.

The task force argues early screenings often cause more harm than good.

"That is, the likelihood of having a false positive test with all the attendant anxiety, the additional imaging tests, perhaps even leading to biopsy that may have been unnecessary," Dr. Diana Petitti with the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force said. 

"The idea of stopping screenings because somebody's feelings might get hurt is ridiculous," Dr. Charles Lackey with St. Mary's Breast Center said.

Dr. Lackey is a breast imaging radiologist with St. Mary's.

He said the report ignores previous studies that show a 30 percent reduction in breast cancer deaths in the U.S., and worries the government and insurance companies might base reimbursement decisions on these guidelines, so if women want a mammogram before age 50, they'll have to pay out of pocket.

"That would really result in a lot fewer women doing it, especially in this time of economic downturn," Lackey said. 

He said that means more cancers detected at advanced stages when women are less likely to survive.

"This will result in more women dying of breast cancer, and these are our mothers and sisters and wives," Lackey said. "The government is more interested in saving money than in detecting cancer at an early age."

This puts him in the same group as the American Cancer Society, which is alarmed about how these guidelines might impact women's health.

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