In an effort to combat what is described as alarmingly high breast cancer diagnoses among certain populations, American women are being advised to begin regular mammograms at age 40, according to guidance released Tuesday (May 9, 2023) by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Previous task force guidance, in place since 2009, recommended commencing regular screenings at age 50.
Insufficient evidence exists to make recommendations one way or the other for women 75 or older, the panel said.
Given their proven efficacy, St. Tammany Health System has long advocated annual mammograms for women starting at age 40.
“Screenings work. They save lives. We know this,” said Dr. Mike Hill of St. Tammany Health System. “We also know that the earlier breast cancer is detected, the more effective treatment will be. That’s why we at St. Tammany Health System have long recommended annual mammograms beginning at age 40. Now, with this evidence-based guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reinforcing that stance, we’re convinced even more lives will be spared.”
The new recommendation was triggered by an apparent increase in the number of cancers diagnosed in women under 50 and persistently high death rates among Black women in particular. According to a 2022 study conducted by the American Cancer Society, Black women are 39 % more likely to die of breast cancer than women as a whole.
Women on the Northshore can schedule a mammogram at the St. Tammany Health System Women’s Pavilion in Covington, which is recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology; its sister facility in Mandeville; or aboard the health system’s Be Well Bus, a 40-foot mobile health unit equipped with leading-edge 3-D mammography equipment.
Call (985)898-4000 to schedule a mammogram, and visit StTammany.health/BeWell to learn where the Be Well Bus will turn up next.
You can also find the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s full guidance regarding mammograms at the agency website.