[Extending the target age of mammography screening or the scope of senology?]

In Italy, the extension of the age range eligible for mammography screening to 45-74 years was accepted by national guidelines in 2006, much earlier than elsewhere in Europe. The ultimate rationale was to increase the modest proportion of screen-detected cancers out of total incident breast cancers in the general female population. This comment aims to emphasize that extending the reach of the mammography age boundaries to include younger and older women is not the only way to enlarge the protection of screening upon the female population. Another, and complementary, option is to extend to specialist breast centres some of the main cornerstones of the theory of mammography screening, that is, the adherence to evidence-based guidelines, the monitoring and publication of results of breast cancer control at the population level, the taking of responsibility for the observed failures, and the adoption of proper actions.