In honor of every “Pinktober” and pink ribbon and breast cancer awareness walk, we wanted to share some words of wisdom from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).

Did you know that breast cancer affects one in eight women, or 12%, and it counts for 30% of new cancers diagnosed in women annually? Although the survival rate has skyrocketed, and detection has become more accurate, women still have a lot of questions about when to screen and how.

For most, screening should start at 40 years old with a mammogram, and continue yearly. If a patient has a strong family history and has a first-degree relative, like a mother or sister, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, the patient should start screening 10 years prior to your relatives’ age at diagnosis. If you have a family history of one of the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes (HBOC), you will need to start screening much earlier and you may require MRI in addition to your mammography studies.

Have questions? We’re here to help! Contact your Metro doctor for more information or schedule an appointment online.