According to the USPSTF, screening mammography for women aged 40 and older should be performed at what interval?

According to the USPSTF, screening mammography for women aged 40 and older should be performed at what interval?

• A. Every 1 year
• B. Every 2 years
• C. Every 1 to 2 years
• D. Every 3 years

Answer: (C)

Beginning at age 40, screening frequency is flexible because benefits of earlier detection must be weighed against harms like false positives and overdiagnosis. The USPSTF allows either annual or biennial screening for women in their 40s, while for those 50–74 the standard interval is every 2 years. Because the question spans women aged 40 and older, the interval is best described as every 1 to 2 years. This 1- to 2-year range captures both the option to screen annually and the option to screen every 2 years, depending on individual risk factors and patient preferences. Strictly yearly screening would increase harms without proportional extra benefit for many women, and a fixed 3-year interval isn’t supported by guideline recommendations.

Beginning at age 40, screening frequency is flexible because benefits of earlier detection must be weighed against harms like false positives and overdiagnosis. The USPSTF allows either annual or biennial screening for women in their 40s, while for those 50–74 the standard interval is every 2 years. Because the question spans women aged 40 and older, the interval is best described as every 1 to 2 years. This 1- to 2-year range captures both the option to screen annually and the option to screen every 2 years, depending on individual risk factors and patient preferences. Strictly yearly screening would increase harms without proportional extra benefit for many women, and a fixed 3-year interval isn’t supported by guideline recommendations.