More lives can be saved.
The nation’s leading panel of preventive health experts announced on Tuesday that all women should begin receiving mammograms every other year starting at age 40. This recommendation aims to save approximately 20% more lives from breast cancer compared to starting screenings at age 50, according to estimates from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
The decision to lower the screening age was influenced by rising rates of breast cancer in younger women, with rates increasing by about 2 percent annually among women in their 40s. Previously, the USPSTF recommended that women between ages 40 and 50 make individual decisions about screening based on their risk factors and preferences, with all women encouraged to start by age 50. Now, the task force advises all women aged 40 to 74 to undergo a mammogram every other year.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and cause of cancer-related deaths for women in the United States, making early detection crucial. The updated recommendation also takes into account the disproportionately higher mortality rate among Black women, who are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women and often develop aggressive cancers at a younger age.
The USPSTF’s guidelines carry significant weight in the healthcare system, with the Affordable Care Act mandating insurance coverage for screenings and services recommended by the task force. This shift in recommendations reflects a departure from the USPSTF’s historically conservative approach to breast cancer screening, which has differed from that of organizations like the American Cancer Society (ACS).
While the ACS advises individual decision-making for mammograms between ages 40 and 44, followed by annual screenings from 45 to 54, the USPSTF recommends biennial mammograms starting at age 40, with continued screening every other year. However, the American College of Radiology (ACR) contends that these recommendations do not go far enough and advocates for earlier risk assessments and annual screenings starting at age 40.
The task force acknowledges the need for further research into breast cancer screening beyond age 74 and alternative screening methods for women with dense breasts, such as ultrasound or MRI. Dr. Wanda Nicholson, chair of the USPSTF, emphasizes the importance of providing women with the most effective screening options and encourages discussions with healthcare providers to determine the best approach for individual care.
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