On June 19th, 2012, the American Medical Association (AMA) updated its position on screening mammography, recommending that all women undergo an annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40. The AMA is now in agreement with six other major medical societies involved with recommendations for breast cancer care, including: American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society of Breast Disease, American Society of Breast Surgeons, and Society of Breast Imaging. In the past, the AMA had endorsed mammography every one to two years for women in their 40's, a stance which, unfortunately, many insurers had adopted in their policies.

In 2009, controversy surrounding guidelines for breast cancer screening was heightened when the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) released its recommendation for women to delay screening until age 50, and even then, only receive a mammogram every other year. These guidelines were not based on direct scientific data, and while the USPSTF acknowledged the life-saving capacity of mammography, they reported that the benefits did not outweigh the costs; a statement that confused both patients and practitioners alike.

Guidelines for mammographic screening are in place so that we may detect breast cancer as early as possible, when it is in its smallest, most treatable form, in order to prevent deaths from this widespread disease. Hendrick and Helvie (AJR, 2011) reviewed much of the scientific evidence available and estimated that, if women were to follow these updated AMA guidelines as opposed to USPSTF guidelines, the lives of 6,500 women per year would be saved. The authors also reported that, according to their analyses, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer who is being screened annually starting at age 40 is 71% less likely to die from her breast cancer than someone following USPSTF recommendations. While it occurs less often in younger women, young women who do develop breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease, making screening in this population critical.

The AMA maintains that the decision to undergo screening mammography, at any age, must be a decision made jointly by the patient and her doctor. In fact, if a woman is at increased risk for developing breast cancer, she and her doctor may decide to begin screening even earlier. It is generally accepted that with a family history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative, a woman should begin screening 5-10 years prior to the age of that relative's diagnosis, as well as consider additional screening modalities such as breast MRI. Regardless of risk, the organization's new recommendations crucially support mammography as an available tool that should be covered annually by insurers for all women over 40 who make the decision with their doctor.

Mammography saves lives. In the past 20 years alone, deaths from breast cancer have been reduced by 30%. The updated guidelines of the American Medical Association, in accordance with guidelines put forward by many other respected medical societies, now better reflect the importance of this lifesaving tool.