U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendationson mammography

In November 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) came out with new recommendations for routine mammography screening for woman aged 40 to 49 years. These are as follows:

-No routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years. The decision to start regular screening mammography before the age of 50 years should be an individualized one.

-The USPSTF recommends biennial (once every 2 years) screening mammography for women between the ages of 50 and 74 years

-The evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of screening mammography in women 75 years or older.

-The evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of clinical breast examination beyond screening mammography in women 40 years or older.

-The USPSTF recommends against clinicians teaching women how to perform breast self-examination.

-The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess additional benefits and harms of either digital mammography or magnetic resonance imaging instead of film mammography as screening modalities for breast cancer.