A recent story in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has changed the guidelines for breast check-ups for women in Alberta and across the nation.

Due to false positives and overdiagnosis, breast checks for women are becoming increasingly less suggested when there is no history of cancer in the family. The new guidelines have women from 50-75 having their breasts checked every two to three years, but now the decision to have a mammogram should be based on the value the individual women puts upon the test regarding the positives and the negatives

Numbers show that 25% of cancers detected by mammograms in the past five years have been overdiagnosed, meaning cells that would never develop into life-threatening situations. False-positives that enforce follow up tests have been seen also.

Although the rates of death related the breast cancer have decreased due to the screening, it's suggested that women take all the positive and negative aspects into thought when going for a mammogram.

Comments? Questions? Story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com