Brighton, N.Y. — New mammogram guidelines are affecting the way women get screened for breast cancer."Sometimes cancer happens because of an environmental insult — we smoke or drink or behavior or sort of related risk factors," Salamone said. "And about 10% of breast cancer actually occurs because of a genetic mutation.""The risk increases as we get older, so stopping at 74 may not be something that makes sense for everybody," she said.
"A typical woman at a regular risk will begin a mammogram at about age 40 and return annually after that," she continued. "But somebody who is at a high risk because of a genetic mutation actually could begin that annual screening as young as age 25." Salamone said there are preventative measures women can take to lower risk and catch breast cancer early, including genetic testing and cancer risk assessments.
She said women over the age of 40 will have annual insurance coverage for a mammogram and those with dense tissue will have coverage for an ultrasound. People should discuss this with their insurance company."You're going to be afraid either way, but you're afraid of doing nothing, or you’re afraid of doing something," Salamone said. "And when it comes to cancer and risk, doing something is key.