TEMPLE, Texas — Doctors across Central Texas are reminding women to keep up with their mammograms.
They say over the last few years due to the pandemic, some have been pushing them off.
The CDC says breast cancer has declined over time but still remains the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Experts say the best way to stay prepared is through early screenings.
"There's enough data out there that they almost decrease the rate of mortality, the risk of dying from breast cancer by about 40 to 50%. So that's half of lives saved just because people chose to get mammograms. And that's for consecutive mammograms. You can't get a mammogram one year and wait for five years to get another one," Dr. Mohit Bansal with Baylor Scott & White said.
Dr. Bansal says a woman of average risk for breast cancer should get yearly mammograms starting at age 45. He adds that you should talk to your doctor about your risk level and discuss if you should start at 40 or even earlier.