When should you start getting mammograms? Expert panel proposes changes to guidelines
Women should start getting regular mammograms at a younger age than previously recommended, a new proposal from a leading health panel says.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said in draft guidelines released Tuesday women should start getting mammograms every other year starting at age 40, not 50, in the fight against breast cancer. The task force is a coalition of doctors who make “evidence-based recommendations” about preventive health care
Breast cancer “is the second most common cancer among women in the United States,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, and is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in North Carolina.
Here’s what to know about breast cancer screening and how to get care in Charlotte:
Changes to breast cancer screening guidelines
Under the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s draft guidelines, cisgender women and those assigned female at birth should get “biennial screening” mammograms from ages 40 to 74.
“New and more inclusive science about breast cancer in people younger than 50 has enabled us to expand our prior recommendation and encourage all women to get screened in their 40s,” the group said. “We have long known that screening for breast cancer saves lives, and the science now supports all women getting screened, every other year, starting at age 40.”
The task force also said “that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women ages 75 years or older” and that “there is not yet enough evidence for the Task Force to recommend for or against additional screening with breast ultrasound or MRI” for people with dense breasts.
The American Cancer Society already recommends “women 45 to 54” get annual mammograms while saying “women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.”
Screening guidelines have evolved over time as research into breast cancer detection has progressed.
Where to get a mammogram in Charlotte
Mammograms can be performed in a variety of medical settings, the Susan G. Komen Foundation says, including “radiology and imaging centers, mammography clinics, hospital radiology departments, mobile vans and some doctors’ offices.”
Health insurance, including Medicare and North Carolina Medicaid, often covers mammograms, but there also are free and reduced cost options available in Charlotte for those who are uninsured or underinsured.
Local initiatives include the Mecklenburg County Health Department “MeckCheck” program, Novant Health grants and Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute’s Project PINK and Project PINK Plus.
What about self exams?
In addition to regular mammograms, self breast exams can help detect signs of breast cancer, the National Breast Cancer Foundation notes.
“Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams at least once a month,” the group says.
There are three methods for self exams, the foundation explains:
In the shower, you can use the pads of your middle fingers to “check the entire breast and armpit area pressing down with light, medium, and firm pressure” to feel “for any lump, thickening, hardened knot, or any other breast changes.”
In front of a mirror, you can “inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides” and with your arms raised “high overhead.” You should “look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples.”
In bed, you can lie on your back and “place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head” to make the breast tissues spread across your chest. Then, use your left hand to “move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently covering the entire breast area and armpit” to “check for discharge and lumps.” You should then repeat those steps on your left breast.
If you feel or see anything concerning, you should contact your doctor.
