There is a growing controversy this week over the guidelines for when women should get mammograms.
There's a lot of confusion and now anger from some women wanting to know why the sudden change in one group's recommendations.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation in Scranton is swamped with calls from women with questions about mammograms. Physicians are getting a lot of questions too after an independent agency said most women do not need to get a mammogram before age 50. That is a big change from previous recommendations.
Until now women over 40 were told to get mammograms every year.
"I think that they're short changing women and it's poor health care," said Marian Shambe of Dupont. She is not straying from the previous recommendations. "Every year, yes and if I need another studies from that mammogram then I do that." She added whe will continue to do that.
The change angered Jean Moore too. "You just don't know when something is going to pop up, when you're going to have a problem," she said.
Some in the medical community said there is actually a positive that has come out of all this controversy over mammograms. It is drawing attention to the issue and they said that is key.
"No one says it's a bad idea to do a mammogram, even at the age of 40," said radiologist Dr. Yousaf Mahmood. "I think everyone would agree, all doctors would agree, it's good to be proactive about screening against cancer because women, especially at that age group, can have cancer that we can detect early."
He said many doctors who deal with mammograms were surprised by the change in the panel's recommendations but he said it could help women pay more attention and learn more about why they get the tests and when they're needed.
"The good thing, the important thing is that people start thinking more about their health," Dr. Mahmood added.
The federal government came out Wednesday and said it's policy is not changing, recommending annual mammograms for all women over 40.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation agrees.
Everyone, including the panel that came out with these controversial guidelines, continues to call for early mammograms for anyone with a family history or extra risk for the disease.
There's a lot of confusion and now anger from some women wanting to know why the sudden change in one group's recommendations.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation in Scranton is swamped with calls from women with questions about mammograms. Physicians are getting a lot of questions too after an independent agency said most women do not need to get a mammogram before age 50. That is a big change from previous recommendations.
Until now women over 40 were told to get mammograms every year.
"I think that they're short changing women and it's poor health care," said Marian Shambe of Dupont. She is not straying from the previous recommendations. "Every year, yes and if I need another studies from that mammogram then I do that." She added whe will continue to do that.
The change angered Jean Moore too. "You just don't know when something is going to pop up, when you're going to have a problem," she said.
Some in the medical community said there is actually a positive that has come out of all this controversy over mammograms. It is drawing attention to the issue and they said that is key.
"No one says it's a bad idea to do a mammogram, even at the age of 40," said radiologist Dr. Yousaf Mahmood. "I think everyone would agree, all doctors would agree, it's good to be proactive about screening against cancer because women, especially at that age group, can have cancer that we can detect early."
He said many doctors who deal with mammograms were surprised by the change in the panel's recommendations but he said it could help women pay more attention and learn more about why they get the tests and when they're needed.
"The good thing, the important thing is that people start thinking more about their health," Dr. Mahmood added.
The federal government came out Wednesday and said it's policy is not changing, recommending annual mammograms for all women over 40.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation agrees.
Everyone, including the panel that came out with these controversial guidelines, continues to call for early mammograms for anyone with a family history or extra risk for the disease.
