my OB/GYN told me he has read this month in 2 professional journals recs to stop mammograms at 70

[peacebird]

Essentially suggesting that women who are 70 or older no longer matter or deserve cancer screenings. He was furious. Said that the biggest determinate in a womans risk of breast cancer was age, and it can be successfully treated, giving women many more healthy years.

We both thought that this recommendation had been shot down by the outrage when it was first suggested. But apparently not - the geniuses behind it and the recommendation that men 70 and over not go in for psa screenings anymore - are back and publishing in medical journals. Trying to convince physicians that it is the correct approach.

[SoCalDem]

1. My friend was convinced that a lumpectomy was just fine for her when she got cancer

she was 76, and the doctor told her that a mastectomy would be "a lot to handle", and that she would "probably" do just fine with a lumpectomy.. she died 2 yrs later:(

[Skidmore]

8. It's called "rationing," and the sad fact remains that we

all must die sometime. These days I'm very cognizant of the fact that my generation is in the portion of the herd to be culled. Nothing like being fast walked toward a certain death.

[sandnsea]

2. A 75 year old friend has prostate cancer

It grows so slowly he decided he'd rather do nothing about it then go through cancer treatment, since he had other ailments he was likely to die of first. It's been 5 years and he still has no symptoms.

I was recently told breast cancer grows very slowly as well. I can see where a woman might decide not to have mammograms anymore, IF she had other ailments that would kill her sooner.

BUT, it should be the individuals choice and not a routine recommendation that ends up determining insurance payment.

[Oregone]

7. More die with it than from it

[Hannah Bell]

18. breast cancers can grow fast, slow, or moderately. "grow slowly" is a false generalization.

[WinkyDink]

20. Ask breast cancer victims about that "grows slowly" bit.

[Sanity Claws]

3. Aren't breast cancers less fatal for older women?

Breast cancer in pre-menopausal women can kill relatively quickly because estrogen feeds the cancer. That is why mammograms are considered a good idea for younger women.
However, I understand that older women can develop lumps in their breasts but they do not grow out of control and kill as they do in younger women. Accordingly, there isn't the same need to catch the growth as early as possible.

I think I would like to see the statistics on breast cancer fatality for older women before agreeing that it is a bad idea.

[peacebird]

4. My mom had her first breast cancer at 65 (well after menopause)

She had a mastectomey, and in her late 70's had a lumpectomy on the remaining breast. We have another dear friend who is battling breast cancer at 70, and just recently lost an aunt to the disease at 90.
My take is that I want to know who FUNDED this research - it sounds like something the insurance companies would want because essentially they would be betting on people dying sooner.

[spooky3]

12. My mother was diagnosed at 78

Fortunately, she has responded well to the surgery and radiation therapy. However, she is of the generation that feels she has no right to ask doctors any questions about anything. So I have to hound her a bit.

[sandnsea]

9. But the govt panel said young women don't need it

So if women under 50 don't need it, and women past menopause don't need it - then pray tell who needs it?

[WinkyDink]

21. You're missing the POINT, which is SAVING $$, not LIVES.

[SheilaT]

5. My first question is:

which professional journals?

[peacebird]

6. I did not ask him. He said he gets several journals monthly, and two this month recommend this

[SheilaT]

10. There's something about that which begs for

more information. Sometimes things are reported somewhat incorrectly. I'd just like to know which journals and exactly what they said.

Perhaps more importantly, did he seem to be signalling to you that he agreed, that he thought no women whatsoever should get mammograms after age 70? or that he was appalled by that suggestion? Or that he thought the decision ought to be up to the individual woman and her doctor? I don't honestly expect you can answer all those, since it sort of sounds as if he made something of an offhand comment, but my point is that we don't have enough data points to draw any good conclusions here.

For what my personal opinion is worth, it really ought to be up to the individual woman and her doctor, and routine mammograms (however routine is defined) ought to be covered.

[peacebird]

17. my doc was furious, he said he firmly believes mammos save lives

He has been my ob/gyn for 30 years (i drive over 90 minutes to still see him now). He is smart, honest, and truly cares about his patients. He thinks this recommendation is totally BS and not in the interest of womens health.

[knitter4democracy]

13. Point of fact: he gets several a week.

I used to be married to an internist. After he moved out, my recycling amount went down by 3/4ths. It was insane all the crap journals he got every week, not to mention the good ones (NEJM, Consultant, JAMA, and a scant few others). "Journals" put out by drug companies come daily--2-5 a day.

[bbinacan]

11. The rationing is upon us. n/t

[Bitwit1234]

14. I WAS 77 when my breast cancer was found

what does age have to do with it. But one thing I do know from my internist, to the surgeon, the oncologist and radiation doctor and therapist I WAS GIVEN THE BEST TREATMENT GOING. There were no death panels at my hospital, contrary to Palin's and the republicans report. This Grandma got excellent treatment and is continuing to get excellent treatment.

[knownothing]

15. OB/GYN was furious

This would indicate to me that he disagreed with the journals' recommendation.

However, I think this is rooted more in the attempt for the government to cut back funding (Medicaid/Medicare) for older people who are viewed as being financial drains more than it is rooted in any science.

[WinkyDink]

22. Thank you. EXACTLY.

[REP]

16. This is not a new controversy; I found a study from Duke 1995 making the same recommendation

There is some clinical evidence that they may not be doing any good for PATIENTS; but there is no consensus on this.

[WinkyDink]

19. The US WILL do this, because we will look at "the best science" and "cost-effective", like the UK.