Anticipatory Guidance Project
Mammogram screenings guidelines
The suitability of screening mammography has been a contentious issue because of a number of reasons. For instance, the lack of consistency of screening guidelines reveals the complexities in coming up with definitive conclusions on the suitability of the procedure. Another issue with mammographic screening is the degree to which a mammography helps to reduce mortality among women. There have been arguments from some quarters that there is no evidence that mammography reduces mortality. In addition, sometimes screening can provide false-positive results resulting in needless additional testing, which may include the probability of invasive surgical processes. These controversies have elicited intense debates from various components of the society.
Background information about the guidelines
The American Cancer Society gives a number of guidelines on mammogram screenings (The American Cancer Society, 2013). First, it recommends that women who are 40 years and older of age should undergo a mammogram every one year, and this should go on as long as the woman in question is in fine health. Second, women who are at a higher risk, that is, higher than 20% lifetime risk, should have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and a mammogram every year. On the other hand, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gives a number of changes in the screening guidelines for breast cancer (Nundy, 2010). The USPSTF, recommendations include changing the routine screening of an average-risk woman to begin at 50 years of age, instead of 40 years of age. The task force also recommended that the routine screening should be stopped at the age of 74 years. Another recommendation by the USPSTF is that mammograms should be done after every two years instead of every one year.
Purpose of the paper
The function of the paper is to give an analysis of the opposing guidelines on the mammogram screening by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, and the American Cancer Society. Of the two protocols, the researcher will select one that seems to provide suitable mammographic screening guidelines. This will help to construct an anticipatory guidance...
1. Screening Mammography Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. Current guidelines recommend a screening mammography every year for women, beginning at age 40. Research has shown that annual mammograms lead to early detection of breast cancers, when they are most curable and breast-conservation therapies are available (Mammography). 2.
D. (http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/210.asp). The created a need to research and develop a better method of mammography, which lead to the development of the new digital machine. What is digital mammography? Conventional film screen mammography uses low energy x-rays that pass through a compressed breast during a mammography examination. The exiting x-rays are absorbed by film (x-ray film) which is then developed into a mammography image that can be held and looked at by the
Missed Breast Carcinomas Mammography is a particular type of imaging which use an x-ray system, which has a low-dose for the purpose of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage. But even with the help of Mammography, in 10-30% cases of breast cancers would be missed. By way of this paper an attempt has been made to understand the factors, which cause for missed breast cancers, and discuss ways to
Dr. Robb-Nicholson's data best supports the scenario that more incidents of breast cancer will be discovered due to the reduced number of screenings that the new guidelines suggest. According to the numbers she gives, the mortality rate for breast cancer decreases every year and this decrease can be attributed to the previous screening guidelines. She writes that the USPSTF has based the new guidelines on statistics rather than clinical data
Radiology and Cyberspace The creation of 'cyberspace,' or the sharing of information through email, on the Internet and on websites, has had a profound impact on nearly every field of human endeavor. Medical science, and particularly Radiology, has been particularly affected and enhanced by new technology. Radiology, by its very nature, has always been a leader in the use of emerging technology in the medical field. Now, new technology developed during
As a woman enters her geriatric years, many unique problems are also faced. Her post-menopausal period leaves a woman with increased risk of osteoporosis, and hormone-replacement therapy may need to be considered or dismissed depending upon the needs and wellness of the individual women. Additionally, increased risk for obesity begins nearly at the adolescent period, when women's hormone loads change and often activity of childhood decreases. The incidence of
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