NCI to review screening guidelines

The National Cancer Institute this month plans to revisit itscontroversial decision not to recommend mammography screeningfor women aged 40 to 49. The NCI is scheduled to hold a consensusdevelopment conference on the topic Jan. 21-23 in Bethesda, MD.

The NCI in 1993 withdrew its recommendation that women aged 40to 49 receive screening mammograms every one to two years (SCAN12/15/93). The move conflicted with screening guidelines fromgroups such as the American College of Radiology and AmericanCancer Society, and drew heavy criticism.

Several studies have been published since then suggesting thatmammography screening of younger women could reduce the deathrate from breast cancer. This month's conference will review thosedata, and will examine whether or not the NCI's guidelines shouldbe changed accordingly, an NCI spokesperson said.

The conference will take place at the Natcher Conference Centerat the National Institutes of Health, Building 45, 9000 RockvillePike, Bethesda. For registration information contact Hope LevyKott at Technical Resources International, 301/468-2245.