Video in Spanish Misleads About Mammograms
SciCheck Digest
Experts agree mammograms are the best tool to screen for breast cancer and that the benefits of the exam outweigh the risks. But a video in Spanish recommended that women over 40 skip mammograms, claiming the test is “unsafe” and “unnecessary.”
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Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States. About 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, and about 43,000 women will die from the disease this year, according to estimates by the American Cancer Society.
Expert groups agree that mammograms, or X-ray images of the breasts, can prevent some breast cancer deaths. Even though they have limitations, as we’ve explained, mammograms are the most effective tool available for looking for signs of breast cancer before a person has any symptoms. Mammograms allow for early detection and early treatment for breast cancer, which can increase the chances of survival from the disease.
“Mammography is the only test that is proven to save lives,” Dr. Sarah M. Friedewald, chief of breast imaging and associate professor of radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told us about breast cancer screening methods in a phone interview.
Both the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging say mammograms can if women with average risk for
