Breast cancer screening: the underuse of mammography

The early detection of breast cancer is promoted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) by encouraging the regular use of three types of screening: breast self-examination (BSE), the clinical breast examination, and mammography. In August 1983, the ACS publicized seven recommendations pertaining to screening, including a revised statement about the routine use of mammography for women between the ages of 40 and 49 years. In response to the ACS statement, the present study assessed compliance with the updated recommendations for all three types of screening. The results show reasonable rates of compliance for the BSE (53%-69%) and clinical examination (70%-78%). In contrast, only 19% of the women between the ages of 35 and 49 and 25% of the women older than 50 reported complying with the recommendation to undergo one baseline screening mammogram. In addition, only 9% of the mammograms were obtained for the early detection of disease, which is the rationale for the recommendation. In fact, it appears that mammography is being performed mainly for the diagnosis of symptomatic women instead of the screening of asymptomatic women. Some implications for health education by physicians and the professional education by physicians and the professional education of physicians in the use of mammography are discussed.