Less Frequent Mammograms for Older Women?

Getting a mammogram every other year, rather than every year, did not increase the risk of advanced breast cancer in women ages 50 to 74, says a study. The study looked at data from more than 900,000 women. Data were collected between 1994 and 2008. Women who got less frequent mammograms were not more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. This was true even for women taking estrogen replacement therapy, and for women with dense breasts. In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said that women should have mammograms every other year starting at age 50. The American Cancer Society still recommends annual mammograms starting at age 40. The study was published in the online version of JAMA Internal Medicine. Reuters wrote about it March 18.