NBCF Response

Response from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s Recommendations on Breast Self-Exams and Mammograms

At 34 years old, I felt a lump while performing a breast self-exam. Concerned, I got a mammogram that detected breast cancer. If it had not been for a breast self-exam and a mammogram, I would not be alive today and the National Breast Cancer Foundation would not exist.

This recent recommendation by the US Preventive Services Task Force is dangerous because it suggests that women lay down their best weapon in the fight against breast cancer, which is early detection.

The facts are indisputable. Early Detection saves lives. Start your plan now at www.nbcf.org/edp and tell someone you love to make sure they have an Early Detection Plan.

Janelle Hail
Founder & CEO
National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Notable Quotes

The American Cancer Society released a statement specifically saying:

“With its new recommendations, the Task Force is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 save lives; just not enough of them.”

Dr. Therese Bevers, Professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, CNN:

“We disagree with their conclusions,” Dr. Therese Bevers said of the task force. “You have to screen more women. It’s the value we put on zero women dying.”

Daniel B. Kopans, Radiology Professor at Harvard Medical School, Washington Post:

“Tens of thousands of lives are being saved by mammography screening, and these idiots want to do away with it,” said Daniel B. Kopans, a radiology professor at Harvard Medical School. “It’s crazy -- unethical, really.”

Dr. Cynara Commer, Professor of Surgery Mt. Sinai’s Surgical Oncology, Fox News:

“For every seven to 10 women that are being overdiagnosed or overtreated, we're saving one woman’s life and I think for me that's worth it,” said Dr. Cynara Commer, a professor of surgery at Mt. Sinai’s Surgical Oncology Department in New York. “That’s worth finding that one cancer at early stage as opposed to late stage, and the argument that this is saving cost is sort of irrelevant because if we end up finding cancers at later stages, those women have to go much more aggressive treatment,” Commer added. Commer said she is very concerned that the new guidelines are the top of a slippery slope toward rationing, and questioned the timing as the Senate is about to vote on health care reforms that could end up containing a so-called public option. “The government-run insurance companies are definitely going to be using these federal guidelines as opposed to using the American Cancer Society guidelines, and the American Cancer Society is not going along with these guidelines, and we can only hope that the private insurance companies don't follow suit,” she said. “I think it’s coming down to saving costs. I don't think we should be doing that at the expense of women,” she added.

Dr. Sanjai Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN:

“The bottom line is that I think the recommendations that we have heard for many years probably aren’t going to change in the eyes and minds of most Dr.’s that we’ve talked to. They say talk to your Dr. before getting a mammogram. I’m a Dr. and I’ve talked to a lot of other Dr’s out there. I think the recommendations and advice from most Dr’s is still going to be that, look, a mammogram is not a perfect test. One day we are going to be able to individualize whose most at risk of breast cancer and recommend the best test for those people. But, for the time being, mammography is the best screening test out there and to start at the age of 40.