State-Journal.com - Local ladies say mammogram change is ridiculous

Photo By AP/Alex BrandonRep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., center, flanked by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., left, and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, to discuss the new mammogram guidelines.

Laura Eads, diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, says new recommendations suggesting delaying mammograms to age 50 are a “disgrace to women.”

Eads, of Frankfort, had lumpectomies for two benign tumors before she was 35. About two years ago, a physician discovered what was thought to be another benign tumor, but a radiologist recognized it as malignant on film. She says the radiologist’s sharp eye saved her life.

Elisha Bowdry was 48 when she discovered a lump through self-exam. The mammogram that followed didn’t detect it because of its location, but an ultrasound did.

“This is ridiculous,” said Bowdry of the new guidelines. Bowdry co-chairs Bosom Buddies, Frankfort’s support group of women who have had the disease. “I don’t agree with any of the new recommendations at all.”

The U.S. Preventive Task Force recommended delaying mammograms to age 50 and then every two years. Only women 74 and older were encouraged to have a yearly mammogram since women 80 and over have a one in four chance of getting breast cancer.

The new guidelines also discourage monthly self-exams – contrary to the education awareness campaign in place for more than a dozen years.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says millions of American women should ignore the recommendations and talk to their health care provider about what is best for them

“Keep on doing what you are doing,” she told millions of women this week.

Sebelius said U.S. Preventive Task Force is an outside independent panel of doctors and scientists who make recommendations but do not set federal policy nor determine what services are covered by the federal government, particularly Medicare.

“Our policies remain unchanged,” Sebelius said. “Indeed, I would be very surprised if any private insurance company changed its mammography coverage decisions as a result of this action.”

A prepared statement from the James Graham Brown Cancer Center in Louisville, echoed Sibelius’ statement:

“Each woman needs to consider her benefits versus the risks and discuss with her healthcare providers before making a decision on when to start screening mammograms and how often to get them.”

Dr. Robert Penkava, medical director of the breast care center at Kings Daughters Hospital in Ashland, has been practicing radiology since 1971, but for the past 16 years he has concentrated on breast work.

Penkava told The State Journal he has two fears about the task force’s recommendations: delaying mammograms to age 50 could miss a lot of cancers, and this may lead to more efforts by the federal government to cut health care spending.

The task force also addressed and expressed concerns about radiation exposure from yearly mammograms.

“A long time ago it was believed there was a radiation exposure threshold, but after a study of over a million people who had yearly diagnostic tests, there was no evidence people had a threshold or they were more likely to get cancer from the radiation exposure.”

However, Penkava said teenagers should never be tested routinely.

“Mammograms save way more lives than there are lives lost to radiation.”

According to Penkava, there is no difference in death rates for those doing self-exams. “But raising the issue of self-exam with women through education has made them more breast aware.”

Penkava said his clinic recently purchased a mobile digital mammography unit through a federal grant and is taking it to underserved regions in Eastern Kentucky where women are unlikely to get mammograms.

“We’re finding underserved women in their 60s, 70s and 80s who have never even heard of a mammogram much less had an early baseline screening.”

Penkava believes women should have a baseline beginning at 40.

“And if there is a direct line relative – mother or sister – who was diagnosed with pre-menopausal breast cancer, women should deduct 10 years from the age it was diagnosed and have their first mammogram then.”

The task force’s recommendations contradict a report released seven years ago by the task force comprised of experts in the field including the noted Dr. Susan Love.

“Even then (seven years ago), the task force questioned the effects of mammograms starting at 40,” said Connie Sorrell. She’s director of the Kentucky Cancer Program at the University of Louisville James Graham Brown Cancer Center.

The tide really started turning four or five years ago.

“Clinical breast exams (those done by a doctor) are the best for women,” Sorrell said. “Self-exam puts too much pressure on women to find lumps, and then when they do, they remain scared until they see their doctor.”