US task force shifts breast cancer screening recommendations to start at age 40

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force shifted the recommended age for regular mammograms from 50.

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They've revised their guidance and are recommending screening begins at age 40.

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This is great news that the task force recognizes the benefits of screening younger women.

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They are now recommending regular mammograms every two years for women between the ages of 40 and 74.

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Also, Black women face a higher cancer death rate than white women: they're 40% more likely to die from the disease.

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They do not specify an age to stop screenings as long as the woman is expected to live for at least another decade.

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there wasn't an increase in later-stage breast cancer diagnosis.

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they would like more research before making an informed recommendation.

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Getting screened is the best tool to detect this disease, which claims nearly 43,000 women's lives annually.

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