US women to ignore new breast exam advice: poll

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Three-quarters of US women disagree with a high-level panel's recommendations to raise the age of breast cancer screening and even more plan to ignore the guidelines, a poll showed Tuesday.

Of 1,136 women aged 35 and 75 interviewed over three days last week, 76 percent disagreed with the findings of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, which said most women should have their first screening mammogram at 50, not 40, and have follow-up checks every two years instead of annually.

Eighty-four percent of women in the 35 to 49 year age group, which is most affected by the decision, said they had no intention of heeding the panel's advice and would go ahead and have screening mammograms before they reached 50, the USA Today/Gallup poll showed.

Three-quarters of the women surveyed thought the panel's ... // 50% Remaining