Conway Regional strongly advises annual mammograms beginning at age 40
Conway Regional Health System and Radiology Associates strongly oppose the new mammography guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). We will continue to follow the recommendations of the American Cancer Society and strongly advise annual mammograms beginning at age 40.
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is one of the big success stories of medicine in the last 25 years. More women are diagnosed earlier and treated more successfully. 30% fewer women now die from breast cancer. Treatments are less severe when it is found early and quality of life is better for breast cancer patients.
Success has been due to improved detection through mammograms and improved treatment, and these have been possible because of strong support by the public, and espceially by women and advocacy groups.
Why would we take such a success story and turn our back on what has made it successful?
Adopting the recommended USPSTF guidelines will mean...
- More cancers will be more advanced when diagnosed
- More women will die from breast cancer
- Treatmetns will be more severe and quality of life will be worse
Our patients are not statistics. The new guidelines would result in 19% of cancers going undetected by mammograms. We treat EACH woman as an individual and not as a statistic. Giving up on 19% of our patients is absolutely unacceptable.
This is a question of what is more important - do we want to save money or save lives?
For more information about mammography services at Conway Regional, click here.
