Evidence to Support Screening Women Annually

The American College of Radiology, American Cancer Society, and US Preventive Services Task Force agree that mammography screening beginning at age 40 saves more lives than any other strategy. Despite these seemingly concordant summaries of the benefits of screening mammography, there are persistent debates regarding when to start and how often women should participate. Costs of screening, both monetary and personal, comprise the foundation of arguments against screening. This article specifically explores the evidence related to screening intervals and attempts to answer the question: should women be screened annually or biennially?