Conflicting Cancer Guidelines Not New

Several doctor groups and advocacy groups publish their own guidelines for cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also issues guidelines. Last week, the task force changed its advice about breast cancer screening. Right away, some experts and groups disagreed. But experts don’t always agree on screening for other types of cancer either, the Associated Press reported November 20. Group guidelines may differ on who should be tested and how often. The AP story summarized guidelines for breast, cervical, prostate and colon cancer.