Expert Panel Urges Mammograms Starting at Age 40 to Address Rising Breast Cancer Rates Among Younger Women
An prominent task force in the United States recommended
that regular mammograms be started earlier, at age 40, in order to screen for
breast cancer. The committee recommended screening for women between the ages
of 40 and 74 every other year.
The task group had previously stated that women could elect to begin screening
for breast cancer as early as 40, while it was strongly advised that they begin
the examinations every two years starting at age 50 and continuing until age
74.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force officially released
a draft recommendation last year on Tuesday. The American Medical Association
Journal issued the recommendations.
"It's a victory that they are acknowledging the advantages of screening
women in their 40s," Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Centre physician Dr.
Therese Bevers stated. She did not participate in the advice.
Though Bevers acknowledged that this may cause confusion,
"now the starting age will align with what many other organisations are
saying," other medical organisations such as the American College of
Radiology and the American Cancer Society recommend mammograms annually, rather
than every other year, starting at age 40 or 45.
As therapy advances, the death rate from breast cancer has decreased. However,
for American women, breast cancer remains the second most prevalent cause of
cancer-related mortality. Every year, about 43,000 women lose their lives to
breast cancer, with about 240,000 new cases being diagnosed.
According to task force vice chair Dr. John Wong of Tufts Medical Centre in Boston, the push for earlier screening is intended to address two troubling issues: the rising incidence of breast cancer among women in their 40s (it has increased by 2% annually since 2015) and the higher breast cancer death rate among Black women compared to White women.
Wong remarked, "Unfortunately, we are all too aware
that Black women have a 40% higher risk of dying from breast cancer than White
women." Early screening may benefit all women, but it may be "even
more beneficial for women who are Black," according to modelling research,
he said.
Here are further facts about what has changed, why it matters, and who needs to
be aware of it.
WHEN SHOULD I GET MY FIRST MAMMOGRAM?
Mammograms should begin for women, transgender males, and
nonbinary individuals at average risk at age 40. The updated guidelines state
that they should have the X-ray examination every other year. Some organisations
advise yearly mammograms, beginning around age 40 or 45.
Women who have already experienced breast cancer or who are extremely at risk
of developing the disease due to hereditary indicators are not covered by the
advise. It also doesn't apply to women who had prior biopsies with a lesion or
who received high-dose radiation therapy to the chest when they were younger.
WHAT ABOUT WOMEN 75 AND OLDER?
Whether older women should continue having routine
mammograms is unclear. The task panel is urging more study because studies
including women 75 years of age and older are uncommon.
Bevers advises senior women to discuss the advantages of screening with their
physicians in addition to potential risks, such as needless biopsies and false
alarms.
WHAT ABOUT WOMEN WITH DENSE BREASTS?
Women with dense breasts do not have as good of a mammogram
experience, but they should still have the test.
The task group wants to see more data about further examinations, like MRIs or
ultrasounds, for women with thick breasts. According to Wong, it's unclear if
those tests would be useful in identifying cancer at an earlier, more
manageable stage.
DOES THIS AFFECT INSURANCE COVERAGE?
Congress has previously approved laws mandating that
insurance cover women 40 years of age and above for mammograms without charging
copays or deductibles. Furthermore, insurers are required by the Affordable
Care Act to honour task force recommendations with a letter grade of
"A" or "B." With a "B" grade, the mammography
recommendation provides a moderate net benefit.