From the summer of 2024, women between the ages of 70 and 75 will be able to register themselves for a mammography screening appointment
Hologic, a leading medical technology company in women’s health, announces the planned age extension in the mammography screening program for women between 70 and 75 years of age.
The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) will make an important decision on the mammography screening program in Germany on September 21, 2023. The amendment to the KFE-RL (Guidelines of the Joint Federal Committee on the Early Detection of Cancer) provides for the age limit for women to take part in mammography examinations to be extended to 75 years[1].
Previously, the mammography screening program was reserved for women between the ages of 50 and 69. With the age extension, women can now take part in the important early detection measure up to the age of 75. The decision to do so is based on extensive scientific knowledge that shows that an extended age limit is sensible and medically justified[2].
The expansion of the program is expected to be implemented as early as summer 2024. However, this step requires intensive preparations to ensure that women between the ages of 70 and 75 can be smoothly integrated into the mammography screening program. In the transition phase, interested women have the opportunity to register for an appointment themselves. This is possible no earlier than 22 months after your last mammogram. The transition phase, in which women have to register themselves, was introduced to give women up to the age of 75 access to extended screening as early as possible. Later, women up to the age of 75 will also be invited to the screening by post, as before.
One of the key messages of age extension is the increased ability to detect breast cancer early. Mammography has proven to be extremely effective in detecting early stage breast cancer. Early diagnosis can significantly increase the chances of recovery and reduce the risk of death from breast cancer.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), breast cancer was the most common cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020[3]. These alarming statistics also apply to women in Germany, according to data from the Center for Cancer Registry Data (ZfKD)[4] at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Alexander Hoffmann, Director Market Access EU North at Hologic, supports the planned steps and comments: “The expansion of the mammography screening program to women between the ages of 70 and 75 marks another important milestone towards more comprehensive women’s health. This decision underscores the growing importance of early detection and allows us to improve the lives of millions of women through timely diagnosis and treatment.”
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About Hologic
Hologic is a leading innovative medical technology company
in the development, manufacture and sale of high-quality diagnostic and surgical products as well as medical imaging systems with a focus on gynecology. The three core business areas focus on diagnostics, imaging and gynecological surgery.
With a comprehensive collection of technology and a powerful research and development program, Hologic has been committed to improving the quality of life since its founding in 1985. To do this, Hologic uses the latest science as a basis, so that medical professionals can find the right diagnosis and therapy for patients with increasing certainty. The company’s headquarters are in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
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