Women Should Now Start Getting Mammograms at 40, Per New Guidelines

In a significant update to breast cancer screening guidelines, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that women begin regular mammograms at age 40, which is 10 years earlier than previously advised. This update comes in response to rising breast cancer cases among women in their 40s and the disproportionately high breast cancer mortality rate for Black women. The task force hopes that by starting screenings earlier, more women will be diagnosed early, leading to higher chances of survival. The new guidelines do not apply to individuals who have already had breast cancer or certain genetic mutations that predispose them to the disease. The USPSTF’s decision marks a reversal in their previous recommendations and aims to address existing inequities in access to care and outcomes for women of all races and ethnicities.