Share

American Cancer Society: Women should start mammograms at 45 instead of 40

The recommendation is even stronger for those with a history of breast cancer in their family. “Through this campaign, we want to extend the conversation to how women can stay healthy and fit, and encourage Filipino women to self-check before it’s too late”, says GrabCar head Natasha Bautista. For all the awareness, they note, breast cancer incidence has been almost flat and there still is no cure for women whose cancer has spread beyond the breast to other organs, like the liver or bones. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.

Advertisement

“I’m outraged by it to be honest”.

Brenda Drayton was diagnosed with breast cancer less than a year ago. But last week, the organization announced it was increasing the age for a woman to have her first mammogram to 45.

Ellen has been fighting her courageous battle with breast cancer. She said these events are so important, she traveled straight to Women Rock after going through five hours of chemotherapy in Rochester. By age 50, her risk is 1 out of 42.

Kelley Matkins with our local Susan G Komen office also disagrees with the American Cancer Society’s new guidelines.

Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among US women, accounting for almost one in three cancers. Well, not exactly. Women age 40 to 44 should still “have the opportunity” to have regular breast cancer screenings, according to the American Cancer Society.

She goes on to say, “There are a lot of people really trying to figure this out on an epidemiological basis and molecular basis and behavioral basis, but we haven’t put our finger on it, “.

“Screening offers hope that cancer can be detected in an early, localized phase when it’s more amenable to treatment”, they write, but that assumes that cancer starts in one place, grows and then spreads.

It said if all areas were as good as the best, 20,000 cases could have been spotted sooner across the country. And more importantly health insurance companies don’t change their practices. “If anything they need to move up the age of getting a mammogram”.

Advertisement

The American Cancer Society said they changed the recommendation because age 45 is when a woman’s risk of breast cancer spikes. The guidelines cited false positives as a source of pain and anxiety for women.

Ivy Tech Students, Faculty Gather To Raise Breast Cancer Awareness