Breast cancer survey sets screening age for women. HELEN PEARSON WHO concludes screening for breast carcinomas is beneficial for over 50's. The World Health Organization (WHO) has added its voice to the heated debate over when women should start having mammograms. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - part of WHO -convened a panel of 24 scientists this month to review the available evidence for the health benefits of mammography. Chaired by Bruce Armstrong of the University of Sydney, the panel concluded that women aged 50 and over benefit from breast-cancer screening using mammograms. But it fell short of endorsing the recommendation made last month by the US health department that women over 40 should have regular mammograms1. Some researchers still question whether the total number of lives saved by screening outweigh those lost as a result of treatment - even in older women. But the IARC hopes that its final report, to be published within three months, will help to inform policy-makers around the world who are implementing or refining screening programmes. References Cancer institute gives US breast-cancer policy the all-clear. Nature, 415, 950, (2002). © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.