Hudson Valley Radiology Associates Responds to New USPSTF Breast Screening Recommendations

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an important advisor on preventive health services, reversed a key breast cancer screening guideline yesterday.                               

In a draft statement, the group now recommends that women get mammograms every two years starting at age 40, not age 50, as it stated previously. Hudson Valley Radiology Associates welcomes the USPSTF’s lowering of the starting age for breast cancer screening. However, we believe that the Task Force should also adjust its recommendation on the appropriate interval between screenings. We believe that all women at average risk should get screened every year beginning at age 40.

Our own data and multiple studies support our stance on annual breast screening: early detection saves lives. When a malignant or invasive cancer is found in an early stage, it is easier to treat. When breast cancer is found at Stage 1, the five-year survival rate is over 99%. Annual screening helps clinicians detect changes in a patient’s breast tissue over time and accurately assess any suspicious findings as quickly as possible. For these reasons, Hudson Valley Radiology Associates maintains that women should not delay screening until a later age, and that the optimal interval for a mammogram is every 12 months.