Heard back from ACS in re: Latest Mammogram Guidelines

Sunrae

I got a 2 page email back from ACS regarding the latest guidelines. They have assured me that they will continue to support the guidelines in place.

"Please be assured that, despite the Task Forces findings, the American Cancer Society is not changing its screening recommendations. The Society continues to recommend annual screening using mammography and clinical breast examination for all women beginning at the age of 40...According to the Society's breast cancer early detection information, breast self exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20's...Doing BSE regular is one way for women to know how their breasts normally look and feel and to notice any changes. The goal, with or without BSE, is to report any breast changes to a dr. right away."

I don't know if we can rest easier but it helps me to know that ACS is supporting our feelings and despite all the press regarding the latest mammogram guideline, ACS will still recommend mammograms and SBE as posted above. Hopefully, this will not keep coming up over and over again.

chenheart

I think that many are afraid
I think that many are afraid if these guidelines are adopted by individual States and thus insurance companies, that insurance companies will have yet another reason to deny mammograms for women under 40. These guidelines have been part of the law in Utah for some time now~ insurance does not pay for mammograms for women under 40. The result: Utah has the lowest rate of BC diagnosed in the country, and also the HIGHEST death rate. Be vocal Sisters, our very lives are at stake!

Hugs,
Chen♥

New Flower

chenheart said:

I think that many are afraid
I think that many are afraid if these guidelines are adopted by individual States and thus insurance companies, that insurance companies will have yet another reason to deny mammograms for women under 40. These guidelines have been part of the law in Utah for some time now~ insurance does not pay for mammograms for women under 40. The result: Utah has the lowest rate of BC diagnosed in the country, and also the HIGHEST death rate. Be vocal Sisters, our very lives are at stake!

Hugs,
Chen♥

Thanks for the news
I am glad that at least ACS is standing by current guidelines.
Thank you for bringing our concerns to them.
New Flower

DebbyM

New Flower said:

Thanks for the news
I am glad that at least ACS is standing by current guidelines.
Thank you for bringing our concerns to them.
New Flower

I still can't believe what
I still can't believe what that Task Force is suggesting. It will only take more women's lives because the bc will be too far gone when they find it. I am happy that the ACS is standing firm on what it should be. Even the President is distancing himself from the Task Force.

Debby

crselby

DebbyM said:

I still can't believe what
I still can't believe what that Task Force is suggesting. It will only take more women's lives because the bc will be too far gone when they find it. I am happy that the ACS is standing firm on what it should be. Even the President is distancing himself from the Task Force.

Debby

Task Force Guidelines
Does anyone know who appoints this task force? What kind of people were on it? Why does it exist? Who paid them to do this work?

It seems so counter intuitive that they could say early detection is not saving more lives and the false positives are troubling enough to warrent the changes they recommended.

I would love to know how many men and women were on the panal, how many of them were breast cancer warriors at some point in their lives, how many of them had no health insurance coverage and might have to pay for 'extra', annual, screenings out of their pockets, and how many of them have connections to insurance companies.

A dying woman is cheaper to treat than a recovering woman who may live many years and need treatment later too.

Christmas Girl

crselby said:

Task Force Guidelines
Does anyone know who appoints this task force? What kind of people were on it? Why does it exist? Who paid them to do this work?

It seems so counter intuitive that they could say early detection is not saving more lives and the false positives are troubling enough to warrent the changes they recommended.

I would love to know how many men and women were on the panal, how many of them were breast cancer warriors at some point in their lives, how many of them had no health insurance coverage and might have to pay for 'extra', annual, screenings out of their pockets, and how many of them have connections to insurance companies.

A dying woman is cheaper to treat than a recovering woman who may live many years and need treatment later too.

Task Force Personnel
For a fact...

Not one - NOT EVEN ONE - of the members of the Task Force was an ONCOLOGY expert!!! Oncology of ANY kind, to be specific.

I wonder how many of us HERE were diagnosed at an age under 50? I know of many. I was 45.

Kind regards, Susan

Kylez

Christmas Girl said:

Task Force Personnel
For a fact...

Not one - NOT EVEN ONE - of the members of the Task Force was an ONCOLOGY expert!!! Oncology of ANY kind, to be specific.

I wonder how many of us HERE were diagnosed at an age under 50? I know of many. I was 45.

Kind regards, Susan

That task force was insane!
That task force was insane! I would have been dead if I waited until 50, as so many others would have!

Sunrae

Kylez said:

That task force was insane!
That task force was insane! I would have been dead if I waited until 50, as so many others would have!

I've been having mammograms
I've been having mammograms since I was 50. My mother died from bc and I felt high risk. So I was always relieved until this year. But if the guidelines had been changed and I could only have a mammo every 2 years my cancer would not have been found until next year. By then, no telling where I'd be now. We just have to be vigilant and on top of this all the time and watch out for those "experts" that try to take away what we've got. I would like to know too who was on this panel.

helen e

Sunrae said:

I've been having mammograms
I've been having mammograms since I was 50. My mother died from bc and I felt high risk. So I was always relieved until this year. But if the guidelines had been changed and I could only have a mammo every 2 years my cancer would not have been found until next year. By then, no telling where I'd be now. We just have to be vigilant and on top of this all the time and watch out for those "experts" that try to take away what we've got. I would like to know too who was on this panel.

I started at 35
I started my mammos at 35 because of a family history. I was told that I have dense tissue and to come back every year, not to wait until I was 40. I am 44 and have stage 1b breast cancer. If I waited until I was 50 to have my first mammo I would be dead.

Alexis F

New Flower said:

Thanks for the news
I am glad that at least ACS is standing by current guidelines.
Thank you for bringing our concerns to them.
New Flower

I couldn't believe the Task
I couldn't believe the Task Force. What a bunch of &*&*&D* idiots! lol

I was hoping that ACS would stand up and stick to their guns and they did!

Lex♥

Akiss4me

helen e said:

I started at 35
I started my mammos at 35 because of a family history. I was told that I have dense tissue and to come back every year, not to wait until I was 40. I am 44 and have stage 1b breast cancer. If I waited until I was 50 to have my first mammo I would be dead.

I was 24 when I had my first lumpectomy.....
....and that one plus the next 5 were benign! They were not biopsys, they were full blown lumpectomies, no doubt from false positive readings and questionable path reports. However, because of this, I was given a mammogram every 6 months (also had dense breast). No family history...I am the trendsetter. Because they were seeing changes slowly, they opted for the breast MRI which did find my cancer. But following the changes on the mammos did alert them! I was 47 when I was diagnosed with IDC. But because I started mammos early, mine was caught right away (less than 2cm). This all started from "uh oh" is that a lump I feel? If that is the only way to get a mammo, I would tell everyone to take acting lessons....it may save your life and terrible that we would have to resort to such tactics, but all is fair in love & war (I love my life and will fight to keep it!). ♥Pammy

Ritzy

Alexis F said:

I couldn't believe the Task
I couldn't believe the Task Force. What a bunch of &*&*&D* idiots! lol

I was hoping that ACS would stand up and stick to their guns and they did!

Lex♥

Absurd
I thought what they said was so ridiculous. Who are these people? And, how did they come up with this ridiculous guideline? I, as some of the others here, would have been dead if I would wait until 50. Hasn't anyone noticed the bc seems to be going to a lot of younger than 50 in the last several years? There would be no way to save us if we had to wait that long. The insurance is just trying to save a buck and so is the government, but, at the cost of women's lives!

Sue

outdoorgirl

Yay!
I am glad that ACS is making a stand! When I first heard about the findings I was shocked and angry!!
Thank you ACS for that and caring enough and "getting it"!

Sunrae

outdoorgirl said:

Yay!
I am glad that ACS is making a stand! When I first heard about the findings I was shocked and angry!!
Thank you ACS for that and caring enough and "getting it"!

Just a suggestion but maybe
Just a suggestion but maybe a few more people could email or call ACS and let them know how they feel on this subject. I emailed them from their site and got a 2 page response from them. I really think they listen to bc women because we know how valuable all this is. Just don't want this to come back up again in a few months. Thanks!

dgl

Sunrae said:

Just a suggestion but maybe
Just a suggestion but maybe a few more people could email or call ACS and let them know how they feel on this subject. I emailed them from their site and got a 2 page response from them. I really think they listen to bc women because we know how valuable all this is. Just don't want this to come back up again in a few months. Thanks!

New Guidelines
Because I have been so distressed about the new guidelines, I have been searching the internet for information and decided to join the CSN tonight. I was diagnosed six years ago at age 51. Although I was not at risk, I had been having mammograms yearly since my 40th birthday. Had the guidelines been imposed, I would most likely be dead now. The cancer was not visible at 50, yet a year later it was over 2 cm,with HER2nu. Waiting two years, until my 52nd birthday, would have been too late.

In a perverted sort of way, I can see that this is a numbers game where medical expense is weighed against the loss of life. But why was it also recommended that self-exams are not useful? They do not cost anything. Do these "experts" really think avoiding a false positive is more reassuring than facing an actual cancer? Could it be that this is the beginning of rationing health services?

By the way, I happened to see the head radiologist of Harvard interviewed on CNN. After stating he knew his remarks were "not politically correct," he continued by saying he knew all the names of those of whom were considered the best in the field of oncology radiology (both in the States and abroad). He further stated he did not know ANY of the names of those on the recommendation panel.

crselby

dgl said:

New Guidelines
Because I have been so distressed about the new guidelines, I have been searching the internet for information and decided to join the CSN tonight. I was diagnosed six years ago at age 51. Although I was not at risk, I had been having mammograms yearly since my 40th birthday. Had the guidelines been imposed, I would most likely be dead now. The cancer was not visible at 50, yet a year later it was over 2 cm,with HER2nu. Waiting two years, until my 52nd birthday, would have been too late.

In a perverted sort of way, I can see that this is a numbers game where medical expense is weighed against the loss of life. But why was it also recommended that self-exams are not useful? They do not cost anything. Do these "experts" really think avoiding a false positive is more reassuring than facing an actual cancer? Could it be that this is the beginning of rationing health services?

By the way, I happened to see the head radiologist of Harvard interviewed on CNN. After stating he knew his remarks were "not politically correct," he continued by saying he knew all the names of those of whom were considered the best in the field of oncology radiology (both in the States and abroad). He further stated he did not know ANY of the names of those on the recommendation panel.

Who was that masked man? .. er, task force?
Again, my question: who 'hired' this panel? To whom do they answer? Federal government?Insurance companies? Pharmecutical company? Follow that and you'll have a shocking insight into why they gave the recommendations that they did. Those recommended guidelines were not suggested for OUR benefit, that's for sure. Then for whose benefit? Don't you want to know who's messing with your LIFE?

Sunrae

crselby said:

Who was that masked man? .. er, task force?
Again, my question: who 'hired' this panel? To whom do they answer? Federal government?Insurance companies? Pharmecutical company? Follow that and you'll have a shocking insight into why they gave the recommendations that they did. Those recommended guidelines were not suggested for OUR benefit, that's for sure. Then for whose benefit? Don't you want to know who's messing with your LIFE?

Back in the news again
Back in the news again tonight. A drs. group met today and reinforced the guidelines that have been used in the past. They said the death rate from breast cancer has dropped 30% after routine mammograms began in 1980. The US Preventative Task Force stated that the guidelines were misunderstood, they didn't mean to cause a problem, it was just a suggestion. They admitted overlooking some of the data. This was reported on NBC Nightly News and can be viewed at msnbc.com (Dec. 2) Looks like the Task Force is backing away from their own guidelines. Whoopee!!!

New Flower

Sunrae said:

Back in the news again
Back in the news again tonight. A drs. group met today and reinforced the guidelines that have been used in the past. They said the death rate from breast cancer has dropped 30% after routine mammograms began in 1980. The US Preventative Task Force stated that the guidelines were misunderstood, they didn't mean to cause a problem, it was just a suggestion. They admitted overlooking some of the data. This was reported on NBC Nightly News and can be viewed at msnbc.com (Dec. 2) Looks like the Task Force is backing away from their own guidelines. Whoopee!!!

They should
be backing away from dangerous recommendations which they made. Everybody on this board was diagnosed due to routine mammogram or self-examination. Task Force dismissed both of these methods.
Public should keep pressure and ask for apology.