Screening of Breast Cancer - an Eternal Discussion Revisited?

Abstract

New recommendations on screening for breast cancer in the USA recently presented by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Society of Breast Imaging and American Council of Radiologists (ACR) provoke some concerns about the optimal screening strategy for breast cancer. USPSTF recommendations published in November 2009 do not recommend screening mammography in women younger than 50 years old because of high false-positive rates and low effects on mortality and vote against self examination of the breast because of lacking evidence for survival benefit from randomized trials. Nevertheless, the ACR guidelines published two months later strongly support the beginning of screening mammography by the age of 40.We asked Dr. Kettritz whether the new recommendation from the USA might have impact on the clinical routine in Europe?Oleg Gluz and Cornelia Liedtke.