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Major science news stories, from the fossil Ardi to new mammogram recommendations Related Links 2009 Year in Review 2009 News of the Nation 2009 News of the World 2009 Science News People in the News, 2009 Quizzes, 2009 U.S. Statistics, 2009 Fossilized Specimans in Human Evolution Discovered, Refuted | The Large Hadron Collider Broke Records | U.S. & World Gripped by the Threat of H1N1 | Water Found on the Moon Cancer Screening Recommendations Cause Uproar Wait to Have Mammograms, Researchers Say A new study, released in November, recommended changes to the current screening process for breast cancer. Researchers advised women who did not have a family history of breast cancer or any other predisposition to the disease to wait until the age of 50, not 40, to have a mammogram. They also suggested that doctors should no longer tell patients to perform self-examinations. The study cited unnecessary cancer scares and surgeries as the reason behind the change in guidelines; however, many critics saw the modification as emblematic of changes that will accompany health-care reform. Though the architect of the study, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, is sponsored by the government, the Obama administration distanced itself from the new breast cancer screening guidelines. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Heath and Human Services, announced soon after the guidelines were released that government insurance programs will still cover mammograms for women beginning at age 40. Fewer Pap Smears Needed In an unfortunately timed release, a study on cervical cancer screenings completed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists was released days after the breast cancer screening study. Though completely unrelated to the breast cancer study, researchers again recommended looser guidelines for screenings; they announced that women can wait until age 21, or within three years of becoming sexually active, to begin receiving Pap smears, the test that checks for cervical cancer. Additionally, if a Pap smear returns negative results, then a woman can wait three years until the next exam. Guidelines formerly recommended women get annual pap smears beginning at age 18. For more information on cancer screenings: Breast cancerCancer Risks You Can AvoidCancer: Estimated New Cases, Survival Rates, 2007Pap smearMammography More from 2009 Science News
.com/news/year-in-review/2009/cancer-screenings.html
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Major science news stories, from the fossil Ardi to new mammogram recommendations
- More from 2009 Science News
Cancer Screening Recommendations Cause Uproar
Wait to Have Mammograms, Researchers Say A new study, released in November, recommended changes to the current screening process for breast cancer. Researchers advised women who did not have a family history of breast cancer or any other predisposition to the disease to wait until the age of 50, not 40, to have a mammogram. They also suggested that doctors should no longer tell patients to perform self-examinations. The study cited unnecessary cancer scares and surgeries as the reason behind the change in guidelines; however, many critics saw the modification as emblematic of changes that will accompany health-care reform.
Related Links
- 2009 Year in Review 2009 News of the Nation 2009 News of the World 2009 Science News People in the News, 2009 Quizzes, 2009 U.S. Statistics, 2009
Though the architect of the study, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, is sponsored by the government, the Obama administration distanced itself from the new breast cancer screening guidelines. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Heath and Human Services, announced soon after the guidelines were released that government insurance programs will still cover mammograms for women beginning at age 40.
Fewer Pap Smears Needed In an unfortunately timed release, a study on cervical cancer screenings completed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists was released days after the breast cancer screening study. Though completely unrelated to the breast cancer study, researchers again recommended looser guidelines for screenings; they announced that women can wait until age 21, or within three years of becoming sexually active, to begin receiving Pap smears, the test that checks for cervical cancer. Additionally, if a Pap smear returns negative results, then a woman can wait three years until the next exam. Guidelines formerly recommended women get annual pap smears beginning at age 18.
For more information on cancer screenings:
- Breast cancerCancer Risks You Can AvoidCancer: Estimated New Cases, Survival Rates, 2007Pap smearMammography
.com/news/year-in-review/2009/cancer-screenings.html
Sources +
Our Common Sources
Our Common Sources
2009 Science News: Water Discovered on the Moon
- 2009 Science News: Water Discovered on the Moon
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
- Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- Current Events This Week: January 2023
- African Americans by the Numbers
- Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
- The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
