An independent, volunteer panel of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine, known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, has just made the formal recommendation that women should begin having screenings for breast cancer at the age of "40".
The report goes on to say that additional research is needed to determine whether women with dense breasts should have additional screenings using ultrasound or MRI for breast cancer detection.
Previous recommendations had been that women with a history of breast cancer make an individual decision regarding screenings starting in their 40s.
In a study reported by cancer.net, an estimated 350,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer in 2023. This number has continued to increase by approximately a half a percent annually.
The task force believes recommending that ALL women begin screening at age 40 could result in 19% more lives being saved.
Currently, there are more than 3.8 million women who are living with or beyond breast cancer in the United States.
Saturday, May 13, the annual Flock Cancer Street Stroll is happening on Harrison Blvd. in Boise between 10:00am and 12:00pm.
The Flock Cancer Street Stroll is an event supporting those who are fighting or have survived breast cancer. The event is fairly low-key, and encourages participants to strut their stuff in Pink Flamingo-themed attire while helping to raise money for those dealing with breast cancer in the Treasure Valley.
You can register for the stroll, as an individual or as part of a team, at the Flock Cancer website.
For anyone who signed up prior to May 2, registration packets are available for pick-up May 10 and May 11, between 3:00pm-7:00pm at the 13th Street Pub in Hyde Park. Anyone who registered after May 2nd can pick up their items the morning of the event at the Flock Party on Hazel Street (behind the Survivor VIP Lounge at 16th/Hazel).
