Ionising radiation a risk in cancer screens
Cancer fear over early screens
The Australian Sean Parnell | September 08, 2009
MEDIA coverage of the cancer diagnoses of celebrities Belinda Emmett and Kylie Minogue convinced more younger women to have a mammogram but experts are recommending against its use as a screening tool.
The report arising from a review of BreastScreen Australia not only calls for certain age groups to be barred from having a free mammogram, to have the program focus on its target group, it also highlights that for younger women, the risks may outweigh the benefits. BreastScreen Australia targets the 50-69 age group, but also accepts older women and women aged 40-49, those most affected by the Emmett and Minogue cases.
But the report recommends that governments have BreastScreen Australia dedicate its resources to the age group where more lives can be saved………………….
The report highlighted research showing that exposure to ionising radiation was a known risk factor for development of breast cancer, but noted the risk was greater in women aged 35 and under, and that the potential benefits of screening still outweighed the risks for women of more than 40.
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