Physicans' Group Says Effects of False Positive Mammograms Have Dangerous Impact

The American College of Physicians has changed the breast exam guidelines based on the fact that breast cancer is not evenly distributed in women between 40-49. Therefore, "the benefits of screening mammography are not uniformly applicable in women in this age group." The new guidelines recommend that women and their doctors make the decision for a mammogram on the individual's family history and the risks associated with mammograms.

Some of the risks of the mammogram can include false-positive results, radiation exposure, false reassurance, and pain during the mammogram. Annals, a prominent journal for studies in internal medicine, provides this insight as well as a breakdown of the ACP study.

The National Cancer Institute defines breast cancer as "Cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk)." Thus far in 2007, 178,480 new cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed and 40,460 women have died.

After a positive result, a biopsy is performed to determine if the cells are cancerous.  During a biopsy, "the doctor removes some cells or tissue, an area of small calcium deposits, or the whole lump." The National Cancer Institute offers explanations for all possible follow-up tests that could be recommended after a mammogram.

Though 5% of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40, it is recommended by the American Cancer Society that all young women over the age of twenty should perform monthly self breast exams.

The National Library of Medicine provides an interactive tutorial on breast cancer which covers cancer and its causes, breast anatomy and signs and symptoms. Some symptoms of breast cancer include skin becoming wrinkled and coarse over a tumor as well as discharge from the nipple.

According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition mammography screening is "a profit-driven technology posing risks compounded by unreliability." They cite radiation, cancer risks from breast compression and unreliability as some of the dangers associated with the exam.

Robert A. Smith, director of cancer screening at the American Cancer Society stated, "The danger here is that some women will elect not to get screened.  Mammography is the single most effective way of finding breast cancer early, and when we find breast cancer early, women have the greatest chance of successful treatment." Reprinted from the Washington Post.

USA Today responded to the American College of Physicians by writing that "breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among U.S. women –– including young women . . . far too many women do not submit to mammograms, for reasons from avoiding the unpleasant procedure to lack of insurance. Giving them more reasons isn't helpful."

The National Cancer Institute offers the Breast Cancer Assessment Risk Tool, which takes into account a woman's age, her ethnicity and family history among other factors to determine her risk of breast cancer for the next five years and for the rest of her life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, .4% of women who are now 30 years old will get breast cancer sometime during the next 10 years and 1.4% of women who are now 40 will get breast cancer in the next ten years.

A recent study by the University of Leeds in Britain found that women who ate the most processed meat had a 64% greater risk of breast cancer than those who did not. The study followed 35,000 women for seven years.

BreastCancer.org provides a detailed guide to breast cancer including an explanation of what a pathology report is, how to read it and how the patient's pathology report helps a doctor decide the patient's stage of cancer.

The American Cancer Society provides a guide to what happens after breast cancer treatment, which covers post operation complications as well as the quality of life for breast cancer survivors.