5 Questions on Breast Cancer Screening
The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Cancer Society, ACOG, and the US Preventive Services Task Force each have published guidelines for breast cancer screening. Do you know the areas in which they differ?
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Cancer Society (ACS), American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) all have published guidelines for breast cancer screening. Yet, they differ in several areas. Take our quiz to cement your knowledge on breast cancer screening intervals.
Question 1:
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The correct answer is: C. ACS. The AAFP and the USPSTF both state that “the decision to start screening mammography” in women aged 40 to 49 “should be an individual one,” while ACOG recommends “screening with mammography and clinical breast exams annually.”
Question 2:
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The correct answer is: C: ACS. AAFP and USPSTF both recommend biennial screening in this age group, while ACOG recommends “screening with mammography and clinical breast exam annually.”
Question 3:
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The correct answer is: B. ACOG. Both AAFP and the USPSTF note that “current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening with mammography” in this age group. The ACS states, “screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.”
Question 4:
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The correct answer is: D. USPSTF and AAFP. The ACS and ACOG guidelines only recommend against MRI screening.
Question 5:
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The correct answer is: A: AAFP and USPSTF. The AAFP’s breast cancer screening recommendations generally mirror those of the USPSTF. ACOG and ACS guidelines do not specifically address digital breast tomosynthesis.
References:
1. American Academy of Family Physicians. Summary of recommendations for clinical preventive services. 2016. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/clinical_recommendations/cps-recommendations.pdf. Accessed October 23, 2016.
2. American College of Obstetricians-Gynecologists. Practice bulletin no. 122: Breast cancer screening. Obstet Gynecol. 2011;118(2 Pt 1):372-382.
NOTE: ACOG is currently evaluating the need to update its breast cancer screening recommendations.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer screening guidelines for women. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/pdf/BreastCancerScreeningGuidelines.pdf. Accessed October 23, 2016.
4. Oeffinger KC, Fontham ETH, Etzioni R, et al. Breast cancer screening for women at average risk. 2015 Guideline Update From the American Cancer Society. JAMA. 2015;314:1599-1614.
5. Siu AL, on behalf of the U.S. Preventive Services Task force. Screening for breast cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Ann Intern Med. 2016;164:279-296
