Disease of increasing ageWith 69 the cut-off age for BreastCheck screening, is there a danger women older than 69 may perceive themselves at less risk of getting breast cancer? A 2014 paper from the Harvard Health School that looked at ‘mammograms for older women’ points to the risks of mammography, mainly false positives. “Older women don’t have the same underlying anxiety that women in their 40s have, who really fear they’re going to die of the cancer. As breasts get less dense and fattier, it’s much easier to detect a breast lump in that older breast.”Dr Walsh is adamant older women must be as breast-aware as younger women. Regardless of age, women are encouraged to remain breast-aware and to check for any symptoms/changes in their breasts.

Source: Irish Examiner April 04, 2019 07:07 UTC