Breast Cancer: Why women over 30 years should consider screening

Your risk for breast cancer increases as you age. About 75 to 80 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year are aged 45 or older.

This is because, as people age, abnormal changes in their cells are more likely to occur.

Lifestyle, diet choices, and climate change are factors fueling these high numbers.

Current reports state that women from the age of 25 to 30 years should have clinical breast exams every six to 12 months especially if they have a personal or family history of breast cancer.

In support of this, a new study of more than 5 million mammograms found that annual mammography screening which begins at age 30 may benefit women with at least one of three specific risk factors.

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast that doctors use to look for signs of breast cancer.

They found that women with dense breasts, a personal history of breast cancer or a family history of breast cancer are at a higher risk.

The American Cancer Society says that women should have the choice to get an annual mammogram beginning at age 40 and recommends that all women at average risk should be screened annually beginning at age 45.

However, for younger women, the directives are less clear but due to the increasing cancer risk, experts recommend starting earlier.

"Women under 40 have not been the focus of our attention when it comes to breast cancer screening," said Cindy S. Lee, an author of the study.

"Everyone is talking about the 40 to 49 range, and not the 30 to 39 age range. It's difficult to study this group because most women in this age range do not get mammograms, but some of these young women have increased risk for breast cancer and may need earlier and/or supplemental screening."

The research team then compared the screening performance among subgroups of women based on age, risk factors and breast density.

Results of the study

"Current breast risk prediction models incorporate different risk factors, which are weighed differently and can produce different results for the same patient. This complexity can lead to confusion and uncertainty for both doctors and patients," Dr Lee said.

"Our study defined 'increased breast cancer risk' in a simpler and more inclusive way. Any woman with dense breasts, personal history or family history of breast cancer in any first-degree relative is considered to have increased risk."

She added that breast density is an important risk factor for breast cancer, but it may be excluded from all risk models except one.

They also compared cancer detection rate, recall rate, and positive predictive value for biopsy recommended (PPV2) and biopsy performed (PPV3).

The Recall rate is the percentage of patients called back for follow-up testing after a screening exam. While PPV reflects the percentage of cancers found among exams for which a biopsy was recommended or performed.

Though much research has been done on the 40 to 49 age group, Lee says it has been difficult to study women in the 30 to 39 age range.

This is because most in this age group do not get mammograms.

But that does not mean they are out of risk for breast cancer.

They found women aged 30-34 and 35-39 had similar cancer detection rates, recall rates and percentage of detection.

Cancer detection rates were significantly higher in women with at least one of the three evaluated risk factors.

"Women with at least one of these three risk factors may benefit from screening mammography beginning at age 30, instead of 40," Dr Lee said.

October is breast cancer awareness month, go get a mammogram!