Debate Over New Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screenin

On Monday, an influential group of medical experts released new guidelines on testing for breast cancer. The guidelines are from the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Its members are appointed by the government but its recommendations are independent.

But the group recommends against teaching women breast self-examination. It says evidence suggests that doing so does not reduce breast cancer deaths.

The American Cancer Society says it will continue to advise women forty and older to have yearly mammograms. But breast cancer expert Susan Love says the new guidelines are similar to those of most other countries.

Mistaken test results -- called false positives -- are one problem. But another problem noted by the task force is overdiagnosis. This is when doctors find and possibly treat cancers that would not have shortened a woman's life.

Some doctors say the new guidelines will reduce women's chances of needless treatments, invasive tests and harm, including psychological harm. But other doctors say they worry that the changes will reduce testing and lead to more women dying from breast cancer.

The task force says the new recommendations are not meant for women who have an increased risk of breast cancer.

One of the biggest changes is that the task force now advises against mammograms for most women under fifty years old. In two thousand two the group had suggested such screening tests every one to two years for women forty and older.