Dr. Ron Cypher

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in November passed updated guidelines for mammograms, but those guidelines have not been supported by health care professionals.

The task force announced that it does not recommend routine breast cancer screenings for women younger than age 50. It also promotes a change in the mammogram schedule from an annual test to every two years for women age 50 to 74.

But Butler's Dr. Ron Cypher of the Advanced Ob-Gyn Associates disagrees with the changes as do most of his peers, including the American Cancer Society.

"This federal committee did not have any breast cancer surgeons nor oncologists on it," Cypher said. "The new guidelines suggest not starting mammograms until the age of 50, and to not do self-breast examinations."

Ending the recommendation for self exams has angered Shelly Somers, a certified registered nurse practitioner with the Grove City Medical Center's Clintonville health clinic.

"The study says women doing self exams are finding too many benign cysts, but the thing is younger women who are diagnosed with breast cancer often find it themselves," Somers said.

Cypher agrees, adding, "Indeed, I know of dozens of Butler women that have had breast cancer diagnosed by having a mammogram before the age of 50, or that have found a lump by self breast exam."

Both Cypher and Somers said they continue to recommend both mammograms on the original testing schedule and self exams, regardless of the task force's recommendations.

Cypher said, "A staggering statistic: One in eight women will develop breast cancer."

Both also recommend that all women should perform self breast examination monthly.

"Baseline mammograms should begin at age 35-40, earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer. Mammograms should be done yearly thereafter," Cypher said.

"Our practice still makes these recommendations to all patients."