Are the breast cancer screening recommendations clear or confusing?

The American public is convinced that cancer screening tests are valuable. Breast cancer screening recommendations have recently received a great deal of attention. Careful review of the available data reveals that combined annual mammography and clinical breast examination is the appropriate breast cancer screening program for most women over the age of 40. However, a small group of women with a genetic susceptibility for breast cancer may benefit from additional imaging. In this article, the criteria for a good screening program are identified.