AZLE, Texas — Some Texas doctors say it’s time to rethink old ideas about people aging out of an important breast cancer prevention step: the annual mammogram.

Historically, recommendations about the ages of people who should get the yearly check generally start at age 40, but in many cases, they also included a cutoff age of around 75. Agencies making that recommendation have long pointed to the benefits of the procedure being diminished in later ages, but that may not be the thought process anymore — at least it's not so cut and dry.

Cancer specialists at Texas Health Resources Fort Worth say major organizations, including the American Cancer Society, are now standing firm that women over age 70 should continue to get their yearly mammogram as long as they are in good health.

“Breast cancer can strike at any age,” said Texas Health Fort Worth Breast Surgical Oncologist Dr. Amelia Tower, D.O., FACOS.

In fact, Dr. Tower said breast cancer is often an illness that strikes older people, and if a patient still has a reasonably long life expectancy ahead of them, there’s still a need to keep protecting against it.

This can be seen clearly in one of Dr. Tower’s own patients — Bobbi Berg of Azle.

Berg is 78 years old, though she likely doesn’t look it to many as she continues being an active person, avid gardener and expert crafter. As she tended to her gardens this year, Berg said she discussed with her friends the idea of going for one more mammogram after her own daughter fought and beat breast cancer recently.

“One more year,” said Berg. “And I’m so thankful that I went one more year.”

Thankful because that "one last mammogram" uncovered that Berg, in her late 70s, had also contracted a serious form of breast cancer.

“They saw some kind of a small mass,” said Berg. “And it was an aggressive cancer.”

Because she caught it early, Berg said Dr. Tower and her other specialists got to work right away and were able to take the cancer down. She continues to go in for follow-up procedures as a precaution, but the green-thumbed Berg said proudly that she’s now considered cancer free. The one thing she said she’s no longer considering is ending those annual checks.

“Now I’ll continue to do that,” said Berg.

Dr. Tower said cancer, like most medical situations, is often a very personal thing. All the more reason, she said, that ending prevention steps shouldn’t be so cut and dry.

“It shouldn’t just be depended and reflex on a birthday. What it should be is a shared decision plan between the physician and the patient,” said Dr. Tower.