The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently changed its long-standing guidelines for breast diagnostics now advising women to begin a screening program at age 45 five years later than the previous recommendation. Additionally the ACS is suggesting that primary care physicians and patients collaborate to decide based on personal and family history when they feel screening should begin.<\/p>\n\n\n
We all know screening saves lives. The question is when to start and how long to screen.<\/p>\n\n\n
Los expertos del Sonnenalp Breast Center y el Shaw Regional Cancer Center creen que un enfoque personalizado para las pruebas de detecci\u00f3n est\u00e1 en el futuro, sin embargo, en este momento no hay informaci\u00f3n adecuada para tomar una decisi\u00f3n informada sobre qui\u00e9n tiene un riesgo promedio y debe esperar para comenzar las pruebas de detecci\u00f3n, y qui\u00e9n tiene un riesgo m\u00e1s alto y debe comenzar las pruebas de detecci\u00f3n a los 40 a\u00f1os.<\/p>\n\n\n
Who qualifies as average risk?
The ACS is vague about this category and is currently reviewing the factors that would indicate which patients are at an average risk.<\/p>\n\n\n
\u0093If you are above average risk you should begin screening at age 40 no question\u0094 said Dr. Monique Fox a certified breast radiologist at Sonnenalp. Higher risk is defined by significant family history a diagnosis of benign proliferative breast disease and\/or dense breast tissue. If any of these criteria are met yearly screening is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n
One flaw in this categorization is that in order to know if you have dense breasts you first need a baseline mammogram. This is determined solely by mammography and not by a clinical breast exam. \u0093Based on this alone it is wise to recommend a baseline mammogram at age 40\u0094 said Fox.<\/p>\n\n\n
According to current data screening every year has decreased the mortality from breast cancer in all age groups by 40% when beginning screening at age 40. So why change the recommendations?<\/p>\n\n\n
The national data show that only 6% of breast cancer is found in women ages 40-45. This means that the percentage is low enough in this age group to warrant discussion with the patient on whether or not she wants to be screened and accept the perceived harms of screening. \u0093The media emphasizes unnecessary callbacks and biopsies but in fact the average number of times a patient will get called back from screening in this age group is once every 12 years\u0094 explained Fox. \u0093The average number of times a patient will undergo a false positive biopsy is 1 in 149 years. These numbers are extremely low and the numbers at Sonnenalp Breast Center are even lower because of our advanced technology.\u0094<\/p>\n\n\n
In Eagle County the percentage of cancers detected in women age 40-45 is 11% almost double the national average. \u0093This significant number of cancers found warrants screening\u0094 said Dr. Janice Ugale a breast radiologist and the medical director at Sonnenalp.<\/p>\n\n\n
So why are the national numbers different than those at the Sonnenalp? One reason is that the data collected by the ACS is more than two years old.<\/p>\n\n\n
\u0093At the Sonnenalp we are seeing a trend of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer\u0094 explained Ugale. \u0093A second reason is that we use 3D imaging also known as Tomosynthesis.\u0094 With this technology the average number of times a woman will get called back is 1 in every 14 years 15% lower than the national average.<\/p>\n\n\n
\u0093Our cancer detection rate is 40% higher than the national average using 3D imaging\u0094 said Ugale. \u0093We are 6% more successful in finding stage 1 cancers which are the smallest detected cancers and do not have lymph node involvement resulting in the best chance for cure. This is entirely due to 3D technology and annual screening. Finding early breast cancers by using 3D mammography is the goal of a good screening. We are doing it right at Sonnenalp. 3D technology screening breast ultrasound also used at the Shaw Breast Center in Frisco is used to increase our cancer detection rate.\u0094
The second push by the ACS and United States Preventive Services Task Force USPSTF is to change to screening recommendations for women over age 50 to every other year. At age 50 or around the time of menopause the rate of hormone responsive cancers increases and these tumors tend to be slower growing. Unfortunately for this group of women there isn’t a way to know who will get these slower growing tumors versus the faster growing ones. Important to note is that the incidence of breast cancer is the highest after age 50. Therefore experts at Shaw conclude this group benefits from annual screening to detect cancer early.<\/p>\n\n\n
The Shaw Cancer Center Cancer Committee unanimously recommends annual screening for all women beginning at age 40 and encourages women to continue screening as long as they choose to be proactive concerning their breast health.<\/p>\n\n\n
\u0093Our primary responsibility at Sonnenalp is our patients\u0094 said Ugale. \u0093We maintain our commitment to provide the best care and expertise to guide our patients in the pursuit of breast health.\u0094<\/p>\n\n\n
About Sonnenalp Breast Center and Shaw Regional Cancer
Established in 2002 Sonnenalp Breast Center is an American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and is accredited by the Mammography Quality Standards Act. With 3D Mammography\u0097the most advanced technology in breast imaging\u0097and the expertise of certified breast radiologists Sonnenalp provides the most sophisticated diagnostics available in the Rocky Mountains. Shaw Regional Cancer Center combines the expertise of highly trained physicians and cancer specialists with advanced technology and the healing powers of fitness nutrition and compassion to provide comprehensive cancer care right in Edwards Colorado. Sonnenalp Breast Center and Shaw Regional Cancer Center are outpatient departments of Vail Valley Medical Center a 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical center since 1965. For more information visit www.shawcancercenter.com.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently changed its long-standing guidelines for breast diagnostics now advising women to begin a screening program at age 45 five years later than the previous recommendation. Additionally the ACS is suggesting that primary care physicians and patients collaborate to decide based on personal and family history when they feel screening…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n