Joann Lindenmayer, DVM, MPH is Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, Rhode Island Department of Health, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Community Health, Brown University School of Medicine. Objective The Rhode Island Department of Health assembled an Expert Panel on Cancer Screening to advise the Department on revising the State' s current cancer control plan, published in 1989. After reviewing the current screening recommendations of national organizations and the most recent pertinent literature, the Panel proposed a recommendation for breast cancer screening.
Methods Review current breast cancer screening recommendations of national organizations.
Review the most recent literature pertinent to breast cancer screening. Propose breast cancer screening recommendations for the State's cancer control plan. Write a simple rationale for the proposed breast cancer screening recommendations. Invite comments on the proposed recommendations and rationale. There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of screening CBE alone or the teaching of breast self-examination.