It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and officials with Veterans Affairs (VA) are encouraging patients to be screened and perform regular self-checks.
Guides for advising patients on giving themselves breast exams can be found at www.breastcancer.org/screening-testing/breast-self-exam-bse.
Patients who find a lump should be advised that it may not be cancerous, but to seek screening right away, particularly if found with any changes such as nipple discharge, thickening of the skin, sudden change in size or shape of the breast, or changes to how the nipple looks.
VA follows American Cancer Society guidelines, which advise:
- Women aged 40 to 44 years at average risk should consider the option of scheduling yearly screenings
- Women aged 45 to 54 years should schedule a mammogram screening every year
- Women aged ≥55 years can begin receiving mammograms every 2 years or continue yearly if they choose
Women who are at an increased risk (family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer) are also encouraged to speak with their healthcare providers about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier, having additional tests (breast ultrasound, MRI), or having more frequent exams.
Contact your Patient-Aligned Care Team to get a consult entered at one of the more than 78 VA facilities, or patients can call Women’s Health Nurse Navigators at 877-222-8387.
Sources
- American Cancer Society. Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. Accessed August 11, 2025. www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html
- Department of Veterans Affairs. Women’s Veterans Health Care, Mammograms/Breast Health. Accessed August 11, 2025. www.womenshealth.va.gov/topics/mammogram-breast-health.asp