COLUMBIA -- A new government task force says women should start screening for breast cancer at age 50, not 40.

Instead of getting a mammogram every year, it’s now every 2 years.

Susan Mason, 40, of Linn Creek was diagnosed with breast cancer on Tuesday.

Mason said under the new government guidelines, she never would have caught her disease in the early stages.

Mason said the new government guidelines put many American women at a high risk of getting breast cancer.

“Do your mammograms," Mason said. "It’s painless. It’s not time consuming. It’s just necessary, definitely. Encourage your friends and family members. Breast cancer affects so many people. It doesn’t just affect women. I have three small children and a husband. I’m thankful that I’m going to be around for that.”

MU Health Care cancer surgeon Dr. Paul Dale rejects the new government guidelines for mammograms.  Dale says the new guidelines are confusing women and their doctors.

“This recommendation is eliminating a group of women who have a substantial amount to gain when getting their yearly mammogram," Dale said.  "10,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer in their 40’s. That’s the group of women that you are going to exclude based on these current recommendations.”

It’s important to note that the new government guidelines for mammograms do not apply to women who are at high risk for breast cancer or who have a family history of the disease.

See the transcript of the Live Chat with Dr. Paul Dale about breast cancer: