A clinical breast exam helped pinpoint Kelly Lange's breast cancer 14 years ago, and self exams helped her notice recurrences later.

So the Annapolis woman was particularly concerned when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force came out with report this week that called both clinical breast exams and self breast exams ineffective.

The panel, which issues advisories to the U.S. Health and Human Services, suggested that there is little evidence that mammograms should be done for women until they reach age 50, instead of the current 40.

"A woman is her own best resource for knowing what breast changes are unusual...