Women should get mammograms every other year starting at age 40, according to updated recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). This is a significant change from previous guidelines, which said women should begin biennial mammograms at age 50, but could opt to begin as young as 40.
The task force also noted that there is not sufficient evidence to 'assess the balance of benefits and harms' of additional breast cancer screenings — including ultrasounds and MRIs — for women with dense breast tissue who have had an otherwise negative screening mammogram. The USPSTF previously released these recommendations in draft form in May 2023. Tuesday’s announcement makes the guidance official.
Other medical groups have already been recommending mammograms starting at younger ages. The American College of Radiology recommends starting annual screenings at age 40 for women of average risk, with earlier screenings for high-risk patients. The American Cancer Society states that women between 40 and 44 have the option to get annual mammograms, and officially recommends that women between 45 and 54 get them every year.
The updated guidance is in response to cancer rates rising among young people and breast cancer rates rising in particular, experts say. Between 1990 and 2019, cancer rates among people 50 and younger have risen by 79%, according to research published in BMJ Oncology. Cancer rates for people under 50 are projected to rise by 31% by the year 2030, data shows.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society, with rates rising 2% each year since 2015. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and each woman has a one in 40 chance of dying from the disease. The earlier screening recommendation could save 19% more lives, the USPSTS stated.
