The United States Preventative Task Force (USPTF) has released a draft recommendation to increase breast cancer screening, with the goal to reduce breast cancer incidence by nearly 20%. The biggest change is that the Task Force will recommend biennual screening starting at 40 years of age. This represents significant changes to breast cancer screening recommendations.
The USPTF cancer screening guidelines are relied on around the country by clinicians. The USPTF published recommendations for a wide variety of interventions and screening protocols. Among these, the USPTF has recommended since 2016 that women from aged 50 to 76 get biennial mammograms. Individual decision making has been governing women 40-50. The 50 year-old threshold has been in effect since at least 1996, so this new recommendation from USPT reflects a major expansion. The USPTF explains that this expansion is a response to science that continues to support the idea that “earlier is better” when it comes to identifying breast cancer.
USPTF anticipates that this expansion should reduce the mortality from breast cancer by 20%. Additionally, the expansion reflects the USPTF’s concern regarding disparity in access to medical care, and breast cancer outcomes. For example, Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women. Breast cancer rates for women in the 40-50 demographic have climbed in the past ten years, a trend understandably concerning to health care providers and the general public.
Furthermore, USPTF’s recommendations are consistent with recommendations promulgated by a number of clinical societies. Some others, however, recommend annual mammography starting at age 40. The steps by the USPTF are certainly in the right direction, and should catch early cancers, which tend to be more aggressive. Breast cancer is one of the three most common types of cancer in women, and many families are devastated every year by the diagnoses. Identifying earlier cancers will lead to earlier diagnoses and improved outcomes, something we can all appreciate.
