Why breast cancer screenings should start at 40 [Video]

Why breast cancer screenings should start at 40

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released new breast cancer screening guidelines recommending mammograms every other year, starting at age 40. The recommendation is based on rising cancer rates among young women and people assigned female at birth. The vice chair of the task force, Tufts University’s Dr. John Wong, joined Saraya Wintersmith to discuss, along with Dr. Michelle Specht, a breast surgical oncologist at Mass General Brigham.

00:00
:45 What prompted the new mammogram screening guidelines?
1:44 What does it mean for a woman to be ‘at average risk’ for breast cancer?
3:41 Tell me about breast density and risk?
5:12 What’s the way to know if you’re a woman with dense breasts?
6:24 How do we know the radiation exposure is safe to begin doing earlier?
8:13 How could more frequent mammograms help close the mortality gap for Black women, who a higher death rate from cancer than White women?
10:45 The challenges of the U.S. healthcare system in getting appointments and time with doctors

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