By Christiénne Miller

Wow, o.k., so a week after I get my annual mammogram the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force comes out with the recommendation that I should (based on my own judgment) wait until I’m 50 to get regular screenings. What?

You mean to tell me that I’ve been getting my breasts squished by a machine for nothing? Also, the self breast exam I’ve done diligently since I grew breasts is useless as well? I’m sorry, but this blows my mind. How can a recommendation change in one month?

In October, the buzz was all about breast cancer awareness and prevention, and now we’re supposed to ignore years of advice and stories of women who were successful in their battle against breast cancer because of early diagnosis in their 30s and 40s? In my own social circle I know of quite a few women who had no familial history of breast cancer, yet found lumps due to self examination and mammograms.

So, why the sudden change? Apparently, according to the panel’s findings, women in their 40s suffer anxiety and may undergo unnecessary biopsies and other treatments due to false positives from faulty mammogram screenings. Since breast cancer is the number two killer of women in the U.S., my first reaction is isn’t this a good application of the “better safe than sorry” adage? How about we put a protocol in place to help women deal with the anxiety and step up the due diligence on further testing and procedures instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

According to this article in the New York Times, though some organizations are re-evaluating their recommendations based on the new findings, the American Cancer Society is standing firm in their stance. Does this mean they feel the same way I do or will their opinion change eventually too — maybe after a hefty donation of some sort?

The article also mentions the impact this would have at the health insurance and financial levels, which is where my thoughts turned as well. I don’t think it’s coincidence that we’re facing health care reform in this country and, just as with the backlash from the new credit card regulations, we are starting to see the indications of how the insurance companies may react to new regulations.

On the other hand, I understand that studies in England and Sweden have shown a different perspective and that there is a consensus the new recommendations could save billions of dollars a year. It also discontinues the creation of unnecessary anxiety and additional medical procedures.

I’m all for saving money and not having unnecessary medical procedures, but I just don’t know what to believe here. I’d love to hear from other women on this topic, because this issue has too many shades a gray for my view to be crystal clear.

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