What new breast cancer screening guidelines mean for you
The U.S. Preventive Screening Task Force, a group of experts who issue guidelines about the who, what, and when's of routine health care screenings, has released new guidelines for breast cancer screening in women.
The task force says all women should begin having screening mammograms every OTHER year beginning at age 40. That's a change from the previous guidelines of 2016 which recommended screenings beginning at age 50 every OTHER year.
Why the change? An increase in the number of younger women diagnosed with breast cancer. It's now estimated close to 10% of all breast cancers occur in women under age 45.
Experts don't know the reason for the slow and steady rise; some speculate three factors, all of which involve the role of female hormones may play a role: more women delaying childbirth until after age 35, some women choosing not to have children, and a decrease in the number of women who breast feed.
Then again, it may simply be due to more self-exams and more younger women being screened.
No matter the reasons, it's clear the numbers are changing. So, what do the new recommendations mean to you? And do they go far enough?
For example, is every other year screening going to miss some tumors? No question.
So some other health care organizations already say screening should be done every year. The risk of too frequent screening includes false positive tests, unnecessary biopsies, and too much exposure to radiation (although the amount from a screening mammogram is thought to be miniscule).
Another issue involves women with dense breast tissue. Not only does dense breast tissue increase the risk of breast cancer, but those cancers are often more difficult to see on a plain mammogram. That's why the FDA says women should be informed of their breast density when screened, and in some cases those women with thicker density might consider an extra screening such as an ultrasound.
The Task Force also may not go far enough when it comes to women of color. Black women tend to have more aggressive tumors at a young age, and almost 50% higher death rate. Perhaps this is a group where earlier, and more frequent screening should be the standard of care.
Finally, the Task Force has said it's ok to stop screening at age 74. Yet, with 74 becoming the new 54, and productive lifespans increasing steadily. It may not be the best idea to stop screening based on a number alone. You need to take a look at the big picture.
Bottom line with these "new" recommendations-they are good, but perhaps not good enough.
It's always important to recognize the "one size fits all approach" doesn't always work well when it comes to health. Many other major health organizations are already big advocates of annual screening beginning at 40-sooner depending on the person. In fact, some have even advocated age 25 for high-risk women.
Best advice: talk to your doctor about your family history, personal history, and your risk factors. The pros of screening early and often usually outweigh the risks.