Ep. 39: Evolving Breast Cancer Screening: Guidelines, Technology, and Equity
Description
The source provides an extensive overview of the significant transformation in breast cancer screening, detailing the shift from one-size-fits-all protocols to a personalized, risk-stratified framework. It highlights the major 2024 guideline change by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which lowered the recommended starting age for biennial screening to 40, explicitly aiming to address the persistent mortality gap faced by Black women. The report emphasizes the current standard of care, Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (3D mammography), which improves detection while reducing false positives, and discusses the ongoing tension between maximizing the life-saving benefits of early detection and minimizing harms like overdiagnosis. Furthermore, it explores the future of screening, focusing on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for improved image interpretation and the development of liquid biopsies for earlier, molecular detection of cancer.
United States
