The assessment of individual risk: Why the ACP recommendations won’t change a thing

Although the ACP recommends the “discussion of individual risk” of breast and prostate cancer, their real-world application unfortunately is minimal:

Discussions about risk is never easy and with the limited time physicians now have with each patient the logistics virtually prohibit a meaningful exchange, at least outside of a retainer practice.

The big elephant in the exam room is the issue of malpractice. Missed diagnosis of breast cancer is a major cause of malpractice suits. Who wants to be guilty of discouraging a mammogram? “Doctor, were you not aware of the American Cancer Society’s guidelines?”