'Mammograms every 2 years, not annually,' suggest scientists

In 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force created guidelines recommending biennial mammography screening for women between the ages of 50 and 74. And now, scientists suggest that following this guideline would be equally effective and save the US health care system $4.3 billion a year.

The researchers, led by Dr. Laura J. Esserman, professor of surgery and radiology at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF), also support other aspects of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines, which recommend women between the ages of 40 and 49 are screened according to other risk factors and women over 75 are screened depending on presence or absence of other diseases.

The team says around 70% of women in the US were screened for breast cancer in 2010, costing around $7.8 billion.

While some women are screened annually, some are screened biennially and others are screened on an "irregular basis."

Published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the study employs three possible screening strategies with simulated models:

1. Following Amercian Cancer Society recommendations: annual screening of 85% of women aged 40-84; annual estimated cost at $10.1 billion


2. Following guidelines from many European countries: biennial screening of 85% of women aged 50-70; annual estimated cost $2.6 billion


3. Following USPSTF recommendations: at a screening rate of 85%; annual estimated cost at $3.5 billion.

The team found that the largest factors for cost were screening frequency, percentage of women screened, cost of mammography, percentage of women screened with digital mammography and percentage of mammography recalls.

Dr. Esserman notes that the "USPSTF guidelines are based on the best scientific evidence to date," adding that we need "a better way to assess breast cancer risk and implement a more risk-based approach to screening."

'Billions saved could be used for women's health'