Breast cancer screenings get updated guidelines [Video]

NORFOLK, Va. — Porsche Richardson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.

The Virginia Beach mother was 44 years old at the time. She was tested after finding a lump during a breast self-exam.

“I had a mammogram done in February, prior to my diagnosis, which came back completely normal,” Richardson said. “And by June, I had a palpable mass.”

While further testing eventually led to her diagnosis, Richardson credits routine cancer screenings with catching the disease early.

Recent data shows a 2% increase each year in breast cancer diagnosis rates among women in their 40s. To account for this, the United States Preventive Services Task Force — a group of experts who provide preventive healthcare guidelines — revisited its breast cancer screening guidance. Updates were drafted in May 2023, and a …