Breast Cancer Screenings Should Start 10 Years Earlier, New Guidelines Say

A radiologist examines breast X-rays in France in a file image. Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters

Women should be screened for breast cancer starting at age 40, 10 years earlier than recommended previously, a federal panel said on May 9.

The draft recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force applies to most women and stems from a desire to detect breast cancer earlier.