Breast cancer: Overview of current management considerations of economic impact

Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have either no risk factors or only one. Recommendations for breast cancer screening for women between the ages of 40 and 49 are controversial, because the National Institutes o f Health (NIH) Consensus Conference made no specific recommendation regardi ng the frequency of screening. In so doing, a possible reduction in mortali ty or morbidity is balanced against known false-positive or false-negative rates and the detection of ductal carcinoma in situ. Although genetic testi ng is available, many questions surround its use, including its likely emot ional and financial impact on the patient and her family and the unresolved issue of how to interpret the results.