Health Care News Updates

New breast cancer recommendations draw fire from doctors

A set of breast cancer screening guidelines issued Monday by a government advisory panel has touched off a firestorm of criticism nationwide from cancer survivors and physicians, including Dr. Luz Venta, medical director of The Methodist Breast Center.”Like many other women listening to the panel’s recommendations, I am confused and angry at the  suggested new guidelines,” said Venta.  “These guidelines contradict all commonly accepted breast cancer screening methods.”

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, recommends mammograms for women 50 to 74, every other year.  The panel also recommended against teaching women to do self breast exams.

“At Methodist, we diagnose and/or treat about 500 breast cancer patients every year.  About 21 percent of these are women under age 50,” Venta said.  “Should these women be sent away and told the cost of screening for breast cancer is not justified by the number of lives that can be saved?”

Since the onset of annual screening mammography in the 1990s, the mortality rate from breast cancer has decreased by 30 percent.  Venta said this increased survival is the result of early detection as well as advances in treatment.

“For our patients, our family and our friends, we recommend annual mammography starting at age 40. Until new data becomes available, mammography is the best screening tool we have in the fight against breast cancer,” said Venta.

It is still early to determine what impact, if any, these recommendations will make on insurance plans.  Many companies base their coverage on recommendations from a number of groups including the American Cancer Society, which still recommends mammograms beginning at age 40.

And the task force’s recommendations should not change Medicare’s coverage, which pays for one initial screening for women age 35-39 and annual mammograms after that.  Medicare coverage can be changed only by Congress or a directive from the secretary of Health and Human Services.

“I believe these recommendations may have been made to help reduce the costs of medical care, but if these are adopted women who fall outside the age requirements will have to pay for their mammograms,”  Venta said.   “And there will be a much heavier cost - in the loss of human life.”

Go to this website for more information on the Methodist Breast Center.