NORFOLK, Va. — A new draft recommendation released this week from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force encourages women to get screened for breast cancer every year starting at age 40.
That's 10 years sooner compared to the previous guidelines released in 2016.
The change is also more in line with the recommendation for Black women, who, according to a recent JAMA Network study, die from breast cancer at higher rates than White women.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, falling just after skin cancer. It touches lives across the globe, including in Hampton Roads.
Chesapeake Regional Breast Health Navigator Meg Shrader has been a breast cancer survivor for nearly 18 years.
She remembers when she found out something was wrong.
"I found a lump. I actually found a lump. I'll be perfectly honest, and I'm honest with everybody, I should have gotten my mammogram at 40 and I didn't," Shrader said.
Every day she's glad she got that lump checked out.
Mammograms, or X-rays of breast tissues, are used to detect breast cancer.
Dr. John Plemmons, medical director of the Sentara McLesky Comprehensive Breast Center at Brock Cancer Center, identifies cancers daily. He says there are significant pros to the procedure.
"The benefit is that a cancer can be identified and that cancer can be removed before it metastasizes and shortens your life," he said.
There are a few cons, too.
"There can be some discomfort certainly, for some women more than others," he said. "Radiation exposure is a perceived downside, but most of our breast centers now are using synthetic 2D mammography to couple with the 3D you read about, and the radiation dose is really quite low."
That's why there are age guidelines for when women should get screened.
"We know that younger women are often more sensitive to radiation and their breast tissue is often more dense, but we are seeing breast cancer in young women frequently, particularly in the minority population," said Dr. Plemmons.
The age recommendation varies from 40 to 50 depending on the source of information.
The American Cancer Society says average-risk women should be screened each year between 45 years old and 54 years old.
The Mayo Clinc says they should start at 40 with a doctor weighing in on frequency. The CDC says they should check with a doctor on screenings before age 50.
Both Dr. Plemmons and Shrader say earlier detection is key. They say family history could justify screenings before 40, too.
"It's really beneficial for women to be proactive with their health," said Shrader.
"The message is 'know your family history and communicate to your doctor.' We're really quite good at treating this disease now," said Dr. Plemmons.
The past 18 years for Nurse Shrader, and the lives of many of the patients she helps, are a testament to that.
"I wanted to do my job to give back and I wanted other women to know they could have a great experience as well and there is a lot of life after breast cancer," said Shrader.
