“New Focus in breast cancer screening; Report: Most don’t need tests until 50.” The article further states “Mammograms cut the risk of dying from breast cancer by about 15%, both for women in their 40s and 50s. But because younger women have such a low overall risk—the 10-year breast cancer risk for a 40-year-old is only 1.4%—their absolute reduction in death is very small, the report says.”
WATCHDOG: We surmise the truth behind the recommendation of the panel has to do with ‘rationing.’ Of course some lives would be saved by conducting mammograms on women in their 40s. But can resources allocated to the mammograms for that group be better spent for other more productive health measures?
We as a nation need to recognize that we cannot afford everything; rather we must make informed choices.
