Earlier breast cancer screening could save '20% more lives'

(NewsNation) — Women as young as 40 should go in for a mammogram every other year through the age of 74, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

That’s a full decade earlier than the previous guidance of 50 years old. The independent task force says changes in cancer rates led them to update the guidance.

“More women in their 40s have been getting breast cancer, with rates increasing about 2% each year, so this recommendation will make a big difference for people across the country,” task force chair Wanda Nicholson said in an official statement. “By starting to screen all women at age 40, we can save nearly 20% more lives from breast cancer overall.”

Researchers need more information to determine whether additional screening might help women with dense breasts maintain their health, according to a task force news release.

“We know that (with) dense breast tissue, we’re more likely to see cancers,” said Dr. Erika Hamilton, director of breast cancer research at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute. “We’re more likely to have those missed on mammograms. Just recently, actually, it was required that breast density be disclosed on all mammogram reports.”

Screening earlier and more often could be especially beneficial for Black women, who are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women. They also tend to develop deadly cancers at younger ages, according to the USPSTF.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death for women in the U.S.

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