Mammograms on Trial

To screen or not to screen, that is the question

It’s been medical gospel for years: All women 50 years and older–and younger women in high-risk groups for breast cancer–should undergo mammography once every year or two. But recent reviews of the screening procedure have disagreed about whether routine mammograms help prevent breast cancer deaths. In the face of that scientific uncertainty, what’s a woman to do? There’s even disagreement among doctors and the groups that make policy recommendations.