Understanding the New Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations

Consider this: One out of every eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. This is why screening for breast cancer is so important, and we review the updated recommendations here.

Outside of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. This disease affects one out of eight women, which means more than 310,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024.

This high prevalence rate is why it’s so important for you to stay on top of your screening efforts — early detection can make all the difference when it comes to cancer of any kind

Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the team of women’s health experts at Progressive Women’s Healthcare wants to shine the spotlight on breast cancer screening and some new recommendations that are designed to help you stay one step ahead of this serious disease.

Breast cancer screening starting in your 40s

Previously, the recommendations for breast cancer screening between ages 40 and 50 were just that — experts suggested that women should discuss with their providers whether to get screened for the disease during this decade. By screening, we’re mainly referring to a mammography, though we can also screen with MRI and ultrasound.

Today, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women start breast cancer screening at age 40 and continue the screening every other year.

The American Cancer Society goes a step further and recommends that all women screen for breast cancer every year between 45-54. After age 55, they recommend screening every other year and continuing this screening so long as you expect to live another 10 years.

There are two things we want you to bear in mind with these screening recommendations: These recommendations are for women of average risk for breast cancer, and if you’re confused about which schedule to follow, we’re happy to work with you to find the one that’s best for your circumstances.

Understanding your risks for breast cancer

As we mentioned, the above recommendations are for women with an average risk for breast cancer. This means that an important piece of the breast cancer screening puzzle is to know your risks. For example, women who are at higher risk for breast cancer include those who:

Have a family history of breast cancer
Have an immediate member of the family with breast cancer
Have a known genetic mutation (BRCA1 or BRCA2)
Had previous radiation therapy in the chest area
Have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome

A great way to evaluate your risks is to sit down with us for a well woman exam so we can review your family history and your medical history. If we find that you may be at higher risk for breast cancer, we typically recommend a more frequent screening schedule that might also include more advanced imaging than the standard 2D or 3D mammography.

To figure out which breast cancer screening is right for your history and age, we invite you to contact Progressive Women’s Healthcare at our Atlanta, Georgia, office at 404-383-7387 or click here to schedule your well woman exam today.