Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Panel: Mammograms Are Of Most Benefit To Women In Their 50s And 60s
The Associated Press: Expert Panel: Mammograms Are Most Worth It For Women 50 To 69
A new, international panel of experts has studied the most recent evidence on mammograms to screen for breast cancer and says they do the most good for women in their 50s and 60s. Women 70 to 74 also benefit to a lesser extent. But evidence that screening helps women in their 40s is "limited," the panel said, although some members disagreed this was true for women 45 to 49. The panel's report was published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine. (6/3)
NPR: International Group Says Mammograms Of 'Limited' Value For Women In 40s
A federal health task force that has been criticized for its mammography recommendations now has scientific support from the World Health Organization. The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer has just finished its review of mammography to screen for breast cancer, and it, too, concludes that the value of these screening X-rays is "limited" for women in their 40s. (Harris, 6/3)
