I respect ALL profesisonals regardless of what letters are behind their name. That said, unless a Physician's patient population includes a significant number of women of color, I personaly find it pretty difficult for that doctor to make any type of recommendations based on current data since so much of it excluded women of color from their studies. No disrespect intended, I'm simply stating a fact.

No matter what the acronym associated with the organization, it's a fact widely held among breast Oncologists who have patient populations with a great number of women of color, that baseline mammograms should begin at age 35 NOT 40, and that the age should be 30 for women with family histories of breast cancer.

So I do believe with are in agreement if the basic premise of the recommendations, however where we disgaree is with what women of color should do as it relates to breast health.

Fair enough. We do need better information regarding who to screen and who to treat, and more importantly, to disseminate this information. So kudos to you for your efforts in battling this disease.

pathdr2b - here's an excellent review on the topic of breast cancer in African American women, clearly an area that needs more research, in case you haven't read it already:

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/full/10/1/1

I just want to add that many major organizations involved in breast cancer research do NOT support the reccomendations of this study.

Susan G Komen and the Lombardi Cancer Center of Georgetown University are 2 such organizations.