At New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, our well-woman exams cover many important aspects of female health — from menstrual cycle concerns, fertility issues, and family planning desires to cervical cancer screenings, STD prevention, and sexual wellness.
Another vital part of this yearly exam? Proactive breast cancer prevention. This includes:
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Dr. Rania Ibrahim and Dr. Christina Parmar explain the importance of having a mammogram screening plan — and how swift breast cancer detection can save your life.
In 2025, health care providers across the United States will diagnose nearly 317,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 59,000 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a highly treatable form of early-stage breast cancer. About 42,200 women will die from the disease. Each year in the U.S., breast cancer is:
Breast cancer can affect anyone, including women without major risk factors; the average woman has a one in eight chance of developing it at some point in life.
But it’s not all bad news: Breast cancer death rates have also decreased steadily over the past three decades, declining 44% from 1989 to 2022.
The reason for this welcome advance in women’s health outcomes? It comes down to one key preventive tool — mammograms. Breast cancer screenings are an invaluable part of women’s preventive health care for good reason: Having routine screening mammograms is the best way to catch breast cancer early, in its most treatable stage.
Your annual well-woman exam is the “open door” to individualized mammogram screening guidance and planning; through breast self-awareness, clinical breast exams, and personal risk factor analysis, our team can tell you when you should start having mammograms, and how often you should have them.
Screening mammogram guidelines consider the fact that breast cancer mainly occurs in middle-aged and older women: The median age at the time of diagnosis is 62 years old, and the disease affects few women younger than the age of 45.
Several independent panels make breast cancer screening recommendations; our team relies on the following two for guidance:
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women of average breast cancer risk begin having a screening mammogram every two years starting at the age of 40, and continue having biennial mammograms until 74 years of age.
American Cancer Society guidelines for early breast cancer detection in women of average risk include the following recommendations on mammogram frequency and timing:
If you have a higher-than-average breast cancer risk because of family history, genetic predisposition, or other factors, you may be advised to have a screening mammogram along with a breast MRI every year starting at the age of 30.
Our team tailors your mammogram screening plan to your unique needs. For example, if you’re overweight, haven’t had children, or had your first child after the age of 30, your breast cancer risk may be slightly higher than average — and having annual mammograms starting at the age of 40 may be more desirable than having screenings every other year.
Either way, our guidance always includes taking time to ensure you’re familiar with the known benefits, limitations, and potential harms linked to breast cancer screening (i.e., false-positive or false-negative results, overdiagnosis and overtreatment).
Simply put, having routine screening mammograms is the best way to catch breast cancer before it causes symptoms or becomes metastatic, spreading beyond your breast to other tissues. In fact, women who catch and treat invasive breast cancer at this early, contained stage have a five-year survival rate of 99%.
Is it time for your next well-woman exam or mammogram? Our team at New Beginnings OB/GYN can help. Call 936-245-8830 today, or request an appointment online anytime.