On May 9, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a draft recommendation on breast cancer screenings. The draft advises people to get a screening mammography every other year from ages 40 to 74.
The draft recommendation will update an earlier one made in 2016, which recommended screenings every other year from 50 to 74.
Dr. Terry Elwing is the director of radiology at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. She said this recommendation isn’t based on surprising data – she’s been arguing for the change for 30 years. MU Health Care already recommends annual screenings starting at age 40.
“If you happen to get one of these very aggressive tumors, they can develop metastases within that two year interval,” Elwing said. “Generally, within (a) one year interval, we’re not going to see that dramatic of a change.”
Elwing said data has supported earlier annual screenings since the ‘70s. She said more progressive minds in medicine are now encouraging the shift, and there’s been a rise in younger people developing breast cancer.
“There’s always cases where the patient’s like, ‘I thought I was doing everything right. I was following my doctor’s advice, you know. Would it have been different if I came every year?’ Probably yes,” Elwing said.
Elwing encourages people to perform self-exams starting at age 18 to look out for masses, thickening skin and lumps in the armpits.
Elwing said one concern is the underserved populations in the U.S.
Self-examinations might be especially helpful for Black women, who are more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. Elwing said diseases like triple-negative breast cancer are increasingly affecting Black people in their late 20s and early 30s.
The mortality rate for Black people with cancer is 40% higher than Caucasian people, Elwing said.
Minority populations having less trust in health care systems, which have historically been racist institutions, exacerbate this disparity.
According to the American Lung Association, “It is well documented that members of the Black community experience more illness, worse outcomes and premature death compared to their white counterparts.”
Elwing said medical professionals can help by gaining the trust of Black patients.
Elwing also said people who are at high risk, like those with a family history of cancer, might need to follow a different approach with their doctors.
Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid will cover annual screening mammographies starting at 40 and high-risk screenings starting at 25, Elwing said.
“They know that finding breast cancer early not only saves lives, it saves money,” Elwing said. “And that's why they continue to cover that at an annual interval.”
