Women aged 50 to 74 should have mammogram every two years, say US guidelines

New guidelines from the United States Preventive Task Force confirm that women at average risk for breast cancer should have mammography screening every other year from age 50 to 74. The guidelines, together with 11 supporting studies and editorials, were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.1

After reviewing all of the evidence the task force confirmed that mammography screening was effective at reducing deaths from breast cancer in women aged 40 to 74. Women aged 40 to 49 were found to benefit the least, and women aged 60 to 69 benefited the most, the guidelines said. The task …