Younger women are being diagnosed with breast cancer more often than screening guidelines anticipate. Many of these cancers are invasive and harder to treat, especially in those under 40. After analyzing 11 years of data, researchers found that this age group makes up a steady and significant share of diagnoses. The results support a stronger push for earlier risk evaluation.
An analysis of records from seven outpatient centers in the New York region found that 20 to 24% of all breast cancers diagnosed over an 11-year span occurred in women between 18 and 49 years old. These findings are being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
“This research shows that a significant proportion of cancers are diagnosed in women under 40, a group for whom there are no screening guidelines at this time,” said Stamatia Destounis, M.D., radiologist Elizabeth Wende Breast Care (EWBC) in Rochester, New York. “Consideration must be given by physicians caring for women in this age group to performing risk assessment in order to identify those who may benefit from more intensive screening due to being higher risk.”
For women considered average risk, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammography every other year beginning at age 40 and continuing until age 74. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms starting at age 45, with screening optional for those aged 40 to 44. Women who are classified as high risk may be advised to receive a breast MRI and a mammogram each year beginning around age 30, but there are still no established guidelines for women younger than that.
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