Task Force Mammograms Recommendations Denounced

(Savannah) "I lost all my hair and I wore scarves and wigs." 43-year old Elizabeth Kress finds support at transformation station as she battles breast cancer.
life changed for this wife and mom of 3 kids last October. That's when her second mammogram ever... showed breast cancer.
"I'm glad I found it on mammogram when I did because had I waited even a month longer it would have been much more advanced," says Elizabeth.
Kress is frustrated with a study by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommending women wait until age 50 to get a mammogram... and, then, get one only every other year. "If I had listened to this and done that I would be dead by now. I wouldn't have lived because I was stage 3 when I found out, and I found out on mammogram." Kress says the study is upsetting and sends the wrong message. "I just hope that women don't listen to that report because it can save you a lot of years if you don't." Kress feels it's her duty to educate her friends and even strangers about breast cancer. "I would let them touch my tumor to know what it felt like so that if they ever felt anything like that or smaller to get to their doctor the same day." Elizageth got a clean bill of health at her 3 month checkup today. Her doctor says there's no sign of any tumors. Despite the new recommendations, until the standards of the local medical community and the Cancer Society change, WSAV’s buddy check 3 program will continue to promote self breast exams and regular mammography.
The American Society of breast Surgeons released a statement saying they strongly oppose the recommendations released by the USPSTF. “We believe there is sufficient data to support annual mammography screening for women age 40 and older. We also believe the breast cancer survival rate of women between 40 and 50 will improve from the increased use of digital mammographic screening, which is superior to older plain film techniques in detecting breast cancer in that age group.”
The Executive Committee of The American Society of Breast Disease issued this statement. “The new U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recommendations on screening mammography, clinical breast exam, and self- examination conflict with the facts. There has been no new evidence to justify this questionable change in breast cancer screening guidelines.”