Screening procedures that detect breast cancer in its early stages are an important element of preventative health care for all women. When official guidelines and recommendations for screening are modified, their changes impact health care at both the population and individual patient levels. Recently, the United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) has developed new recommendations regarding when to start mammogram screening for breast cancer in women of average risk for the development of breast cancer. This article discusses the rationale behind the updated USPSTF recommendations and also presents the current American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines.
