'Defer to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment experts': Imaging leaders rail against new ACP breast cancer screening recs
Radiology leaders are pushing back against newly released breast cancer screening recommendations from the American College of Physicians (ACP), suggesting that the new guidelines are based on “outdated and hyperbolic information.”
On April 17, ACP released its updated recommendations on breast cancer screening, which endorse biennial screening starting at age 50 for asymptomatic women at average risk; its guidelines also suggest the ACP opposes the use of supplemental MRI and ultrasound for women with breast density falling under the BI-RADS categories C and D.
Although guidelines pertaining to supplemental imaging in women with dense breast tissue are still under consideration from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the group recently adjusted their screening recommendations to include women ages 40 who are at average risk. USPSTF recommends this group undergo biennial screening. The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) also endorse the age recommendations put forth by USPSTF, though they contend that annual screening is more appropriate. What’s more, both ACR and SBI have endorsed the use of supplemental imaging in women with dense breast tissue.
With this in mind, ACR and SBI released a joint statement in opposition to ACP’s update; the duo issued a stark warning that the new recommendations risk confusing patients, stating that they “may contribute to thousands of additional breast cancer deaths each year.” This could add up to 10,000 “unnecessary” deaths annually, according to estimates from the groups.
“Most experts do not support the delayed or less frequent breast cancer screening," the statement reads. “ACP recommendations conflict with guidelines from nearly every other national society—especially those with cancer expertise, such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), ACR, SBI, the American Society of Surgical Oncology, and the American Society of Breast Surgeons. ACR and SBI respect ACP efforts to advocate for our shared patients across many medical conditions and indications but ask ACP to defer to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment experts regarding this matter.”
Read more from the statement here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.