New data shows that women are not getting the recommended screenings for breast cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says routine mammograms are critical for detecting breast cancer early, which is when it’s easier to treat and chances of dying from the disease are lower.
A new CDC vital signs report shows one in four women ages 50 to 74 are not up to date with breast cancer screening.
“This is concerning because we know that about 40,000 women die a year from breast cancer and having these screening mammograms can save lives. We’ve found several reasons why women aren’t getting their mammograms every two years,” said Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC chief medial officer.
Those reasons include the cost for access to care, food insecurity, lack of transportation, loss of work and feeling socially isolated. The report found the more of those health-related social needs a woman is dealing with, the less likely she is to get a mammogram.
“It’s really important to address these needs now/when doctors are meeting with a patient, they can screen women for these needs and then connect them to community services. And if women are uninsured, the CDC has a program in all 50 states through the health departments/that will allow women to get a mammogram for free,” said Houry.
Aside from skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, accounting for about 30% of all new female cancers each year.
Find a screening program near you, courtesy of the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
