Breast Cancer Experts Recommend Annual Mammograms for Women Over 30

The rising incidence of breast cancer is becoming a global health crisis, affecting women at increasingly younger ages.

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In March 2024, renowned actress Olivia Munn, 43, revealed her battle with aggressive luminal B breast cancer, leading to a double mastectomy. In India, recently Bollywood actress Hina Khan, 36, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Experts, alarmed by these trends, emphasize the importance of regular health check-ups and recommend annual mammograms for women over the age of 30 to promote early detection and improve outcomes.

Raising awareness among women about screening at early age is one of the most effective measures that help in combating this menace. Experts said that regular screening can detect a very high number of breast cancer cases at early stage and that would leave ample rooms for oncologists to better deal with breast cancer which is presently the most prevalent cancer among women in India not only in terms of high incidence but also mortality.

Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynecologist, Obstetrician and IVF Expert, Nurture IVF Clinic

"Raising awareness is crucial for early detection. We advise women to perform monthly breast selfexaminations starting at age 20, ideally about five days after their menstrual cycle. For postmenopausal women, this examination can be scheduled for a specific day each month. Given the current trend, we find all women over 20 years should go for an annual breast examination by a trained doctor. Importantly, regular mammograms should now begin at age 30 to facilitate early detection of breast cancer and ensure timely clinical interventions. Previously, annual mammograms were recommended for women over 40."

According to the ICMR's National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, India is projected to see a 12% increase in cancer cases by 2025. Current trends suggest that the total number of cancer cases could rise to approximately 1.57 million by that year, with breast cancer accounting for an estimated 200,000 cases, or 14.8% of all cases among women.