Health Ministry opposed to lowering age for mammogram tests
One quarter of women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 40 – approximately 1,300 women every year.
By EVE YOUNGThe Knesset's Labor, Welfare and Health Committee meets on changing the age for mamogram tests.(photo credit: COURTESY KNESSET SPEAKER'S OFFICE)
The Knesset's Labor, Welfare and Health Committee discussed lowering the age women receive mammogram tests from 50 to 40 on Tuesday, according to the Knesset Spokesperson's office. Various non-profits who work in the field as well as the Health Ministry, healthcare providers and Health Ministry representatives spoke at the meeting, expressing conflicting opinions.One quarter of women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 40, meaning approximately 1,300 women every year, according to Israeli non-profit One in Nine that works to raise awareness of breast cancer. This figure is one in three among Arab Israelis, according to MK Sondos Saleh. Additionally, some of the women diagnosed after age 50 probably developed the disease before age 50, said One in Nine.In women who were diagnosed early, 90% make a full recovery and the importance of early discovery is not in dispute, said One in Nine."The cancer is much quicker and more aggressive in young women and so testing between age 40 and 49 is critical," said One in Nine CEO Sigal Richin."I cannot understand the Health Ministry's insistence to stay 20 years in the past. The world has moved forward and in many countries tests are done at a younger age.""They don't have to get a mammogram every year, but specifically in the Arab population the age is much younger, and we must do something," said a representative of a non-profit that works to raise awareness of breast cancer in the Arab population, who also said that the non-profit "need the help of the country."The Health Ministry expressed its opposition to the change."With all the populism and emotion involved, it is still not right that, just because we know young women who have become sick, we begin to perform the test on an age group where it is ineffective and the risks are not justified," said a representative of the Health Ministry."In order to save one woman from death, at least 300 will get one false positive, 37 will go through an unnecessary biopsy and 12 will be falsely diagnosed and treated needlessly," she went on to say.MK Tali Ploskov responded to the Health Ministry saying "what you are saying is correct but to save the life of one woman, I would do anything."
Dr. Anat Geber from the Israel Cancer Association agreed with the stance of the Health Ministry saying that "at age 50 and younger, early diagnosis can help a little but harm much more because of over-diagnosis."
