Breast cancer screening.

As shown in SB's last issue, the treatment of breast cancer through mastectomy is very expensive. Because it is used in the disease's later stages, recurrence and survival are also significant posttreatment issues. Conventional wisdom, supported by current research, tells us that prevention is always preferable to treatment. In the case of breast cancer, mammography is the best available screening method. Recent clinical scientific consensus urges women 40-49 years to have mammography every 1-2 years; after age 50 it is recommended annually. The safety of mammography will be increased as a result of new accreditation procedures adopted recently by the American College of Radiology. As they become more widely used by mammographers and known by the public, further improvements in mammography utilization can be expected.