Screening for Breast Cancer

Release Date: February 2002

Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents

Summary of Recommendations

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening mammography, with or without clinical breast examination (CBE), every 1-2 years for women aged 40 and older.
  Grade: B Recommendation.
• The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine CBE alone to screen for breast cancer.
  Grade: I Statement.
• The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against teaching or performing routine breast self-examination (BSE).
  Grade: I Statement.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Breast Cancer, November 2003
Cost-Effectiveness of Screening Mammography Beyond Age 65: A Systematic Review (PDF File, 215 KB; PDF Help)

Screening for Breast Cancer, February 2002
Recommendations and Rationale (PDF File, 58 KB; PDF Help)
Summary of the Evidence (PDF File, 198 KB; PDF Help)
Systematic Evidence Review
What's New (PDF File, 26 KB; PDF Help)

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Current as of November 2003

Internet Citation:

Screening for Breast Cancer, Topic Page. November 2003. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsbrca.htm