Screening for Breast Cancer: Recommendations and Rationale

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for breast cancer and the supporting scientific evidence and updates the 1996 USPSTF recommendations on this topic. The complete USPSTF recommendation and rationale statement on this topic, which includes a brief review of the supporting evidence, is available through the USPSTF Web site (www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov), the National Guideline Clearinghouse (www.guideline.gov), and in print through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publications Clearinghouse (telephone, 800-358-9295; e-mail, ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov). The complete information on which this statement is based, including evidence tables and references, is available in the accompanying article in this issue and in the summary of the evidence and systematic evidence review on the Web sites already mentioned. To update its recommendations on screening for breast cancer, the USPSTF reviewed the evidence regarding the effectiveness of mammography, clinical breast examination, and breast self-examination in reducing breast cancer mortality. The USPSTF did not review the evidence regarding genetic screening, surveillance of women with prior breast cancer, or formal evaluation of new screening modalities that have not been studied in the general population. A meta-analysis using a Bayesian random-effects model was conducted for the USPSTF to obtain a summary of relative risk estimates of the effectiveness of screening with mammography, either alone or in combination with clinical breast examination, in reducing breast cancer mortality. Clinical studies that evaluated breast self-examination were included in the review. Sources for estimates cited in this Recommendation and Rationale statement are described in the systematic evidence review on this topic, which is available on the USPSTF Web site (www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov). * For a list of the members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, see the Appendix.