US Mammogram Update Sparks Concern, Reignites Debates

Medscape, July 9, 2023:Medscape quotes experts disagreeing about what age (40? 50? to start mammograms and we point out that the science suggests different guidelines based on race and risk. Radiologists suggest Black women start at age 35, which would means $$$ for the radiologists but would do more harm than good for most women. USPSTF recommendations raise concerns about costs, accuracy, timing, and ensuring that abnormal mammograms result in biopsies to learn if treatment is needed.

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Dr. Diana Zuckerman Statement to CDC Advisory Committee On Breast Cancer in Young Women

August 23, 2022: Research shows that many young women are disproportionately afraid of breast cancer and that young breast cancer survivors are more afraid of recurrence than older survivors. I encourage you to think of what we can do together to help reduce that fear so that young women don’t let their fear overwhelm them as they become aware of and educated about their risks as well as their prevention and treatment options.

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What Genentech is doing to fix biotech’s diversity problem

Fortune, April 7, 2021. There’s a big problem with clinical trials: a lack of diversity. This problem led researchers to believe that Black women did not develop breast cancer as frequently as white women and created a gap in understanding how different treatments work. How can companies like Genentech start increasing diversity in clinical trials?

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FDA blasts Merck’s Keytruda data for new breast cancer indication

Stat News, February 5, 2021. The cancer drug Keytruda is a medical and financial juggernaut, but it may not win FDA approval for early-stage triple negative breast cancer. FDA medical reviewers agreed there is a need for new treatments, but Keytruda did not impress them with its small benefit of “questionable clinical meaningfulness” and serious safety issues. NCHR’s Dr. Zuckerman said “This is one of the most negative reviews I’ve ever seen.”

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