There is no direct evidence that screening women in their 40s will save lives, yet modeling suggests expanding routine mammography to include them might avert 1.3 deaths per 1,000. Highlighting the risk of false positives, some specialists call for a more personalized approach.
While physicians mostly applauded a government-appointed panel's recommendation that women get routine mammography screening for breast cancer starting at age 40, down from 50, not everyone approves.
There is no direct evidence that screening women in their 40s will save lives, yet modeling suggests expanding routine mammography to include them might avert 1.3 deaths per 1,000. Highlighting the risk of false positives, some specialists call for a more personalized approach.
Alarmed by an increase in breast cancer diagnoses among younger women and persistently high death rates among Black women in particular, health experts Tuesday said women should start getting mammograms at the age of 40, rather than 50.