Westchester doctor says new breast cancer screening recommendation does not go far enough
The updated recommendation, published in the medical journal JAMA, calls for women at average risk to get a mammogram every other year starting at 40 years old, rather than 50, and to continue up to age 74.
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The new breast cancer screening recommendation that lowers the age for regular breast cancer screenings does not go far enough, according to a local breast cancer doctor.
The updated recommendation, published in the medical journal JAMA, calls for women at average risk to get a mammogram every other year starting at 40 years old, rather than 50, and to continue up to age 74.
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Dr. Andrew Ashikari is the regional director of the Breast Cancer Center at Phelps and Northern Westchester Hospital. He tells News 12 that the guidance doesn't go far enough for even the low-risk population.
"I still think yearly is beneficial...in the young population, those cancers grow quickly, so that missed year could be a significant problem," says Dr. Ashikari.
He also says that women should continue to screen beyond the recommended age limit of 74 years old.
The updated recommendations do not apply to people with a personal history of breast cancer.
