BY JIM HALL
Cancer specialists at Mary Washington Hospital say they will continue to recommend routine mammograms for women in their 40s, rather than delay the screenings as suggested by a federal panel.
A dozen members of the hospital's Cancer Committee said in a statement released last week that earlier screenings save lives.
"Each of us has treated patients in their 40s who without mammography and breast self-exam would have gone years without knowing they had breast cancer," the statement said.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory panel of physicians and scientists, said Nov. 16 that most women can wait until their 50s to begin routine mammography.
But several physician and patients groups objected, including the American Cancer Society, the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Radiology.
The groups said they support the current guidelines for breast cancer screening, which recommend that annual mammography for most women begin at age 40.
The Mary Washington doctors also supported earlier screenings, saying, "Since the onset of regular mammography screenings in 1990, the mortality rate for breast cancer has decreased by 30 percent. It was stagnant for the preceding 50 years."
The group--which includes radiologists, surgeons, oncologists and a pathologist--also said the final decision should be between a woman and her doctor, taking into account her family history and other risk factors.
"We have the tools to fight breast cancer early, saving many lives," the statement concluded.
Members of the Cancer Committee meet every other week to discuss treatments for their cancer patients, said Dr. Kay Blanchard, a surgeon and program leader for the group.
Dr. Aye Min, a radiologist at Mary Washington, wrote the statement soon after the federal panel published its recommendation, Blanchard said. Blanchard and the other members of the group signed it.
They include Drs. Donald Allen, John Chinault, James Daniel, George Fish, Anne Geyer, Michael Hewitt, Charles Maurer, Sudeep Menachery, Frederick Tucker and Wilson Sprenkle.
Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com