What do we make of this??

[MyJordyLu]

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts on the new reccomendations for mammograms and pap smears were...

[USAF.Wife]

 i think its crazy and im glad its only recommendations and not mandatory that we wait so long.

[MyJordyLu]

Do you know if it will be covered if you don't wait as long as they say to..??

[asaffell]

I don't disagree with the new recommendations. Since mammography hasn't proven itself to be well worth the cost and risks compared to the benefits, I think it's worth cutting down. Mammograms use radiation, which can CAUSE cancer, anyway.

And pap smears shouldn't be done more than every 2 years for women without risk factors anyway.

[CurvyMommato1]

From what I have learned, right now it is just a recommendation from one group, who fully backs up their new views, and this could lead insurance companys to use this new information as a way to not cover these things, but at the moment it is just a recommendation so hopefully it will just stay that way.

[MSOmom]

"If 2000 women are screened regularly for 10 years, one will benefit from the screening, as she will avoid dying from breast cancer.

At the same time, 10 healthy women will, as a consequence, become cancer patients and will be treated unnecessarily.  These women will have either a part of their breast or the whole breast removed, and they will often receive radiotherapy, and sometimes chemotherapy.

Furthermore, about 200 healthy women will experience a false alarm.  The psychological strain until on knows whether or not it was cancer, and even afterwards, can be severe."

This was taken from Screening for Breast Cancer With Mammography, and can be found at www.screening.dk or www.cochrane.dk.  (The emphasis is mine.)

Personally, I will not have a mammogram unless it becomes medically necessary.  Screening is not a medical necessity, and is far to risky for me.

[zgirls009]

The thing about it that bothered me was they don't recommend checking yourself for lumps in your breasts because they aren't effective.  The one woman I know who had a very aggressive case of breast cancer caught it with a self screen and luckily was able to get it soon enough.

The pap smear had me leaping for joy...I hate those things.  I see absolutely no reason for someone to be sticking their hands and face up there with cold objects.  LOL.