Women’s Health Exchange responds to the New Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Early detection is the first line of defense against breast cancer.

Three members of the Women’s Health Exchange Board are breast cancer survivors whose early stage diseases were discovered long before the age of 50 through self exam, awareness of risk factors, and screening mammography.

The responsibility for early detection rests with every woman. Each of us must take responsibility for knowing our own body and being aware of changes. We are each responsible for knowing warning signs, and for understanding our medical history and our family history.

Until research tells us more about causes, effective prevention and possible cures, we must rely on early detection and effective treatment to continue to save lives.

While screening mammography has been the mainstay of breast cancer prevention in the United States for the last 25 years, breast self-exam and clinical breast examination are important tools in the promotion of early detection and breast cancer awareness. Breast health knowledge and increased awareness about the disease have led to a significant rise in survivorship numbers of breast cancer patients in the last 20 years. This communications and patient education must continue.

WHE will continue promoting self-awareness and early cancer screening. It is the right of every woman to benefit from early detection.