@JLeslie You’re welcome :)
My understanding from reading various articles is that if a woman is high risk (family history or genetic mutation), they would be a different story. The recommendation is for woman who are not high risk to have mammos every 2 years starting at age 50.
I also read that USPSTF guidelines are what insurance agencies often use for their policies.
The American Cancer Society states in the article I linked above ”“The USPSTF says that screening 1,339 women in their 50s to save one life makes screening worthwhile in that age group. Yet USPSTF also says screening 1,904 women ages 40 to 49 in order to save one life is not worthwhile. The American Cancer Society feels that in both cases, the lifesaving benefits of screening outweigh any potential harms. Surveys of women show that they are aware of these limitations, and also place high value on detecting breast cancer early.
“With its new recommendations, the USPSTF is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives; just not enough of them.”
I agree with the American Cancer Society recommendation for annual mammograms for women ages 40–49 and for high-risk women younger than that. Then it should be decided between a woman and her doctor. In my opinion, a woman & her doctor should be able to make the decision based on the woman’s history, risk factors, and personal concerns, without having to worry whether or not the insurance company will pay for it.
Early detection gives a woman a fighting chance.