Several cancer experts, surgeons and radiologists swiftly condemned a national task force's draft decision not to lower the recommended routine breast cancer screening age to 40 on Thursday. The criticisms were echoed by federal Health Minister Mark Holland, who said he had "serious concerns," was "disappointed" in the task force's findings and wanted leading experts to review the guidelines. He also called for the public consultation period to be extended.
The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, which provides guidance for primary health-care providers, said it is maintaining current advice that routine breast cancer screening start at age 50 and end after age 74. Although they refrained from lowering the age for routine screening, the task force did suggest women age 40 to 49 be eligible for mammograms every two to three years if they want one after learning the harms and benefits of early screening, ideally from a conversation with their health-care provider. Nevertheless, the Canadian Cancer Society said it was disappointed by the draft guidance.
"It places the onus on people to advocate for their own early detection and screening and gain access to a referral rather than being automatically invited to provincial and territorial (screening) programs," the society said in a news release. Dr. Jean Seely, head of the breast imaging section at the Ottawa Hospital, called the task force advice "bad news" that will lead to confusion for women in Canada.
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