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I'm 57 years old and my breast cancer was diagnosed at an early, treatable stage by an annual mammogram when I was 44.  The cancer was stage 1 and hadn't spread to my lymph nodes. I have no family history. I'm fortunate to have health insurance; and assumel that the new recommendations are driven more by  economics than science. Breast cancer is less common in women under 50, but often is more aggressive.  The recommendations are irresponsible and will reverse the gains that have been made in reducing deaths from breast cancer that began in the 1990's when more women followed the annual screening guidelines .  Until the cures are found, early detection is  the key to survival.

The paternalistic tone of the recommendations is also troublesome--that  women can't handle the "anxiety" of  being called for additional tests when something abnormal shows on the mammogram, so instead we will avoid scaring them by not screening them..

posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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