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35 is the new 40 for breast cancer screening, thanks to AI.
Just yesterday, the NCCN dropped new guidelines that could reshape how we approach breast cancer prevention. They’re now recommending AI-based mammogram risk assessment starting at age 35, not 40.
The threshold? A 1.7% five-year risk score.
This isn’t theoretical. Beth Israel Deaconess is already implementing Clairity Breast AI tools. Invision Sally Jobe in Colorado goes live this spring. Emory Healthcare follows this summer.
The evidence is compelling:
• Swedish trial (January 2026): AI cut interval cancers by 12%
• Detection rates jumped from 74% to 81%
• Radiologist workload dropped 44%
• Google’s NHS study: AI found 24% more invasive cancers
• False positive callbacks fell 39%
Here’s what fascinates me: We’re not replacing radiologists, we’re amplifying their capabilities. The PRISM trial calls AI a “co-pilot” for radiologists. That 44% workload reduction means more time for complex cases, biopsies, and patient interaction.
But I keep wondering about access. Will this technology reach community clinics and FQHCs serving vulnerable populations? Or will we create another tier of healthcare inequality?
The technology exists. The guidelines are clear. Major centers are moving fast.
The question isn’t whether AI will transform breast cancer screening. It’s whether we’ll ensure equitable access to these life-saving advances.
Because finding cancer five years earlier shouldn’t depend on your zip code.
♻️ Repost if earlier breast cancer screening should be accessible to all women
👉 Follow me, Jonathan Govette, for daily, real-time updates on healthcare technology and business news. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangovette/
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Author:
CEO/Co-Founder @ Oatmeal Health | AI Lung Cancer Screening | Almost Became a Doctor | Engineer | Follow to Share What I’ve Learned Along the Way
I help patients get the care they need earlier, preventing late-stage cancer.
That’s been the throughline across three companies and almost 20 years in healthcare. At ReferralMD, we fixed broken referral networks so patients didn’t fall through the cracks. At Oatmeal Health, it’s lung cancer: building the diagnostic and screening infrastructure so the 85% of cases caught too late get caught early instead.
Today as CEO of Oatmeal Health, I lead a team embedding AI into radiology workflows to turn routine lung CT scans into reimbursable cancer risk assessments. We partner with FQHCs to reach underserved communities, and with health systems and payers to make early detection economically sustainable. Think HeartFlow or Cleerly, but for lungs.
Between companies, I advised at Techstars and Plug and Play, mentoring founders building in digital health. That experience shaped how I think about what separates companies that ship from companies that stall: distribution, reimbursement, and clinical trust, not just technology.
I’m a CancerX alumnus, a 3x healthcare founder, and someone who believes the biggest problems in cancer aren’t scientific. They’re operational.
We’re hiring mission-driven builders at Oatmeal Health. If you want to work on something that matters, reach out.
When I’m not working, I’m traveling, mentoring, and keeping up with one very energetic husky. 🐾
Substack – The Oatmeal Bite:
Millions of patients get less care because of who they are, where they live, or how they look. I’m fighting to change that. CEO @OatmealHealth, a startup built for the underserved. The Oatmeal Bite: intel for clinicians, investors, and advocates.
Jonathan Govette
CEO of Oatmeal Health
Substack:
https://oatmealhealthjonathangovette.substack.com/
