Dr. Ellenbogen is entirely correct. In 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force updated its guidelines for screen- ing mammography, saying that such an- nual screening was not necessary below the age of 50; this action met with objec- tions from the major radiology groups as well as oncologists and surgeons. Along with input from many groups and physician associations, CSAPH re- searched the literature and statistics and determined that, as Dr. Ellenbogen so states, “beginning at the age of 40 years, all women should be eligible for screen- ing mammography. Physicians should regularly discuss with their individual patients whether screening mammogra- phy is appropriate for them.” AMA strongly supports screening mammography for early breast cancer detection and believes there should be insurance coverage for it. By screening the 40- to 50-year-old population, an ex- tra 3-percent mortality decrease benefit is gained. n


Express your point of view in Texas Medi- cine. The mailing address is TMA, 401 W. 15th St., Austin, TX 78701. Letters may be submitted by email to larry.besaw@tex med.org. If necessary, you may include a few references, preferably fewer than five. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor and editorial advisors, and are subject to editing and abridgment. Let- ters represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Texas Medical Association.


8 TEXAS MEDICINE October 2012


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68