Looking to raise awareness among patients and physicians and encourage state funding of mammography access programs, the Texas Medical Association is lending its support to guidelines recommending breast cancer screening at a young age.
At its 2025 annual meeting earlier this year, TMA’s House of Delegates adopted policy supporting the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging recommendation that women of average risk begin undergoing annual mammograms at age 40, with no upper age limit.
Per the American Cancer Society, breast cancer – the second-most common cancer in women – is rising in women younger than age 50 at double the rate of older women, at about 1.4% per year.
“More and more younger people are being diagnosed with cancer, so it made sense to lower the [screening] age,” said Terri L. Woodard, MD, co-chair of the TMA Committee on Cancer, which advocated for TMA’s decision to incorporate the recommendations as association policy at TexMed in May.
The committee also advocates for access to mobile mammography screening units to help Texans in underserved areas where screening opportunities are more scarce.
“It [makes] sense to try to improve access to people who might be limited by finances, by transportation issues, and so forth,” said Dr. Woodard, a Houston reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist who works primarily with patients who are at risk or who have had cancer. She has seen patients put off getting screened, only to receive a cancer diagnosis later.
Breast cancer accounts for 30% of new cancer diagnoses each year. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, an estimated 21,083 Texas women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and 3,535 were estimated to have died from it.
“Screening saves lives,” Dr. Woodard said. “We want fewer women to die of cancer. We want people to have access to screening and literally save their lives.”
Last Updated On
October 08, 2025
Originally Published On
October 08, 2025
Brent Annear
Associate Vice President, Media Relations and Leadership Advancement
Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1381
brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
As TMA’s AVP of media relations and leadership advancement, Brent Annear has worked in communications for several decades. He joined TMA in 2001 after nearly 20 years in television news. Brent and his team share TMA’s mission and vision with the world through news releases, social media posts, podcasts, and videos. He also helps hone TMA physician leaders’ communication skills. A University of Texas graduate who hails from Minnesota, Brent is married with two adult stepchildren. He enjoys volunteering, sports, travel, and hobbies, and is a private pilot.