Mammograms

I have had to emphasize, over and over, to so many people, these stats:

Specifically, the USPSTF recommendations suggest women aged 40 to 49 without risk factors can avoid yearly mammography screenings for breast cancer until age 50. The ACOG guidelines advise that women can begin receiving Pap tests to look for cervical cancer starting at age 21 and then be screened every other year until age 30, at which time women should receive the test every three years.

This is, of course, unless you find a lump.

The post-cancer recommendation is only once a year! So, by early 2011, I'll be looking at what you can do other than looking for lumps and the yearly mammogram (which you will have post-cancer at any age under 49 -- because you now have a "risk factor."

Risk factor is not a meaningless term, nor is it especially meaningful.