A doctor from Western New York is in the national spotlight as the co-author of updated breast cancer screening guidelines.

Dr. Stamatia Destounis is a radiology specialist at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care.

Her guidelines for breast health were recently published by the American College of Radiology.

She says women 40 and older should start yearly screenings. However if you're at higher risk you should speak with your doctor before the age of 30 to determine if you need to get screened earlier.

She says there are also populations more at risk for early and more deadly breast cancer.

Destounis says men and women who are in transition should also be aware that hormonal therapy can increase your risk

"We need to keep educating women about their risk for breast cancer," Destounis said. "There are many minorities that are not aware they are a higher risk. And we do know that the death rate in the Hispanic population and the Black population may be higher even if they present with a same stage tumor."

Destounis says the most important thing to do is get to your doctor’s office annually and have an open line of communication on risk factors.