Are you aware that some medical experts recommend starting routine breast cancer screenings sooner? Mammograms remain the best tool for catching breast cancer early, when treatment is most effective and survival rates are highest, but many women still wait until age 50 or later to start getting mammograms, which means they’re missing years of potentially life-saving screening.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Chinyere Eze, MS, PA-C, and our team want to highlight some important information about mammograms. At Eze Health Center in Waldorf, Maryland, we help each patient figure out the right mammogram schedule for their situation.
In April 2024, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent, volunteer panel of national experts, suggested dropping the starting age for routine screening from 50 to 40. More women in their 40s are getting breast cancer, and taking steps to catch it earlier saves lives.
In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started requiring all mammogram facilities to tell you about breast density. Your screening results now include a simple explanation that dense tissue makes cancer more difficult to spot and slightly raises your risk of getting breast cancer.
Nearly half of women over age 40 have dense breast tissue. Dense tissue shows up white on mammograms, and so does cancer — this makes cancers more difficult to detect. Researchers aren’t sure why, but women with dense breasts are 4-6 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with mostly fatty tissue.
Dense tissue can hide cancers that would show up clearly in fatty tissue. If you have dense breasts, these tests can help catch what mammograms might miss:
Our team can help you decide which combination works best for your situation.
Mammogram recommendations — screening every other year starting at age 40 — are for women with average risk of developing breast cancer. If you’re at higher risk, you might need to start screening at age 30 with annual mammograms and get breast MRIs starting somewhere between ages 25 and 35.
These factors put you in the high-risk category:
The American College of Radiology recommends that all women should get a risk assessment by age 25, especially Black women and women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
At Eze Health Center, we provide comprehensive breast health assessments as part of our women’s healthcare services. This includes risk evaluation, screening recommendations, and coordination of additional imaging when needed. Our approach ensures that you understand your breast density, cancer risk factors, and screening options.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder that early detection saves lives. The latest screening recommendations and breast density notification requirements give you more information than ever to make informed decisions about your breast health.
Call Eze Health Center at 240-219-6889 today to schedule an appointment.
