Guidelines, Process Clash: 2014 Breast Cancer Screening Survey Results

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The breast cancer screening debate is ongoing, but the results of our 2014 Breast Cancer Screening Survey are in. We polled readers from Diagnostic Imaging and obgyn.net to see what clinicians are using and recommending for breast cancer screening.

As expected, mammography is the most preferred method of screening. Part of the controversy about breast cancer screening is the recommended age of biennial screening for average-risked women, which the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends beginning at age 50, however, almost half of our respondents recommend  beginning biennial screening at age 40. The USPSTF is in the process of updating their recommendations, which reconsiders the recommended age to begin screening and the effectiveness of screening based on modality.

Almost all respondents (91 percent) recommend supplemental screening for women at high-risk of breast cancer. Ultrasound was the supplemental modality of choice for 37 percent of the respondents, with MRI coming close behind at 35 percent.