Most women skipping annual mammograms, according to new health survey
A new survey from MedStar Health finds that most American women over age 40 are not screening for breast cancer through annual mammograms. According to the results, 59% of respondents say they forgo the recommended routine exam on a yearly basis. Almost a quarter (23%) say they’ve never had a mammogram.
These results come as breast cancer diagnoses continue to increase by about 0.5% every year, according to the American Cancer Society, including a nearly 3% increase in younger women under age 40. In May, the United States Preventative Task Force (USPSTF), one of the nation’s leading influencers of breast cancer screening guidelines, lowered its recommended age for mammograms from age 50 to 40.
Breast cancer experts encourage women, starting as early as age 30, to talk to their doctor about their own personal breast cancer risk and begin developing a plan to start mammograms as soon as possible. This becomes even more important as women get older.
“Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women, but deaths attributed to the disease are decreasing. This is in large part due to early detection from routine screening examinations and better treatments delivered through a multidisciplinary approach,” said Judy H. Song, MD, chief of Breast Imaging at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “Routine screening examinations can start with mammography and potentially include ultrasound and breast MRI. We recognize that not all populations currently have equal outcomes, and we at MedStar Health are actively working to reduce those disparities to save even more lives.”
Women surveyed by MedStar Health said their top reasons for not yet getting annual mammograms include simply not getting around to it (34%), having a normal mammogram in the past (21%), and not having a family history of breast cancer (17%).
The post Most women skipping annual mammograms, according to new health survey appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.