The National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) calls into question a widely reported American Cancer Society (ACS) Report on breast self-exams (BSEs) and mammograms. Instead of presenting new data to support its position, the report recycled and repackaged questionable data.

The facts haven't changed.

NBCC's position on breast self-exams has remained the same since its inception. NBCC faced significant controversy and opposition but has always held fast to its BSE position: there is currently no scientific evidence from randomized trials that breast self-exams save lives or enable women to detect breast cancer at earlier stages. NBCC had the courage to say 'no' to BSEs from the very beginning, other groups are just now beginning to embrace this fact.

NBCC has long questioned the limitations of mammography screening. For years it has been clear that mammography is not the answer to the breast cancer epidemic. At best, mammography screening may offer only very small benefits to certain age groups of women. There are public health interventions that could save more lives and use fewer health care resources than mammography screening programs. One such intervention would be to ensure that all women diagnosed with breast cancer have access to quality health care.

Women deserve to know the truth - and the truth is that there is no evidence of a mortality reduction in women under the age of 50 and the evidence for women over 50 is currently unclear. Broad public health recommendations should only be made when it is clear that the potential benefits of the recommended intervention will outweigh the potential harms.

What should women do in the interim? Women who have symptoms of breast cancer such as a lump, pain or nipple discharge should seek a diagnostic mammogram. The decision to undergo screening must be made on an individual level based on a woman's personal preferences, family history and risk factors.

We need to look more at the big issues: how to prevent the disease, when and how it makes sense to detect it truly early, and how to provide access to quality care for all women. We should focus research efforts on true prevention - stopping breast cancer from occurring altogether - and on new, more effective ways to detect and treat breast cancer.

For more information see NBCC's position papers and fact sheets on BSEs and mammography:

Breast Self-Exam
Screening Mammography
The Mammography Screening Controversy Questions and Answers