I watched the press blitz the last few days with some interest. A Federal Task Force came out with recommendations that women under fifty should not have screening mammograms and, oh, by the way, women should probably not perform self breast exams either. These findings are disturbing to me as a physician, a husband, father, brother, and son. Most disturbing to me is the slide down the slippery slope that this kind of recommendation could start. Let me first say that any medical test is subject to criticism concerning its sensitivity and specificity. These are medical terms that define how good a test is at measuring what it is supposed to measure. Mammogram is a sensitive test to detect breast cancer early before it spreads. The task force argument goes that by screening women age forty to forty-nine, there are ten of thousands of unnecessary mammograms being done each year.

     Government bureaucrats and actuaries see these as “cost savings” that we all keep hearing about in the health care debate. If mammograms are not covered as screening exams in this age group, that could cut millions out of the health care budget. The three pronged approach of breast self-exam, clinical breast exam, and mammogram has helped decrease the mortality of breast cancer. There can be no debate on this point. Until we have a definitive cure for breast cancer, the best chance for patients is early detection. Mammograms are the key to early detection and cure of breast cancer. Yes I am a surgeon who takes care of patients with breast cancer, but first and foremost I am a healer who takes pride in making my patients better. It is disappointing to me to think that the future of health care may be a series of big government recommendations that slowly chip away at my patients’ ability to access appropriate tests and procedures. Why should women age forty to forty-nine be denied the chance at early detection? Because as they say, everyone deserves a lifetime!

Scott McDearmont, M.D., Highland Village