This Super Bowl Ad Raised a Big Point About Women and Breast Cancer Screening

The Super Bowl is always packed with attention-grabbing ads, but Novartis’s cleavage-packed commercial created particularly major buzz after it aired on February 9.

Called “Your Attention, Please,” the grabby ad runs through a series of breast-focused scenes, including close-ups of cheerleaders in low-cut uniforms, a breastfeeding mom, women trying on bras, and more. After that montage, it ends on a different note: with comedian Wanda Sykes, who had a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2src11, urging women to get screened for the disease.

“Let’s start paying attention to breasts when it matters the most,” Sykes says in the ad. “Early detection for breast cancer is a game changer, and why I’m able to be here today.” From there, she encouraged “more women to get screened than ever before,” and directed viewers to visit the website YourAttentionPlease.com to learn more—as well as find locations to get screened.

The ad definitely got people talking—and, in the case of cancer screening, that’s a good thing. In fact, when SELF reached out to doctors who treat this type of cancer, they applauded the ad’s underlying messaging. Here’s what they want you to know.

The ad uses America’s obsession with boobs to hammer home the importance of preventive care.

The Super Bowl ad is especially important because so many people tune in to watch the game—and thus, the messaging in between the plays, G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead ob/gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, tells SELF. “It’s the biggest event of the year,” he says. “You put a commercial out there and hope it grabs a woman’s attention to say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve never had a mammogram’ or ‘I’m overdue for a mammogram.’”

And, as research shows, lots of folks are missing their screening. Data from the CDC show that just 66% of women aged 4src and older are up-to-date on their mammograms. That means one in three women aren’t being screened as recommended for a potentially life-threatening condition that affects a huge number of Americans each year—specifically, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the US (skin cancer is the first), according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). To distill it even further: There’s a one in eight chance that the average American woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.

That makes this reminder to get screened crucial, Janie Grumley, MD, breast surgical oncologist and director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Providence Saint John’s Center in Santa Monica, California, tells SELF. “It encourages people to stop and think, Breast cancer could happen to me,” she says. “It’s always important to have a reminder.”

The ad was also smart in that it grabbed the attention of men and women, which could foster dialogue between couples, encouraging men to ask their partners when their last breast cancer screening was, Dr. Ruiz says.

“I love this ad,” Dana Ataya, MD, a breast imaging radiologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, tells SELF. “It does such a compelling and engaging job reminding us of the importance of breast cancer screening in saving lives.”

There’s a reason why the phrase “early screening saves lives” is so popular.

Current ACS guidelines recommend that women with average risk of developing breast cancer have the option to begin annual screenings at age 4src; those 45 to 54 should get a mammogram annually, and women 55 and older can switch to mammograms every other year, if they wish. Screenings should continue as long as a woman is healthy and expect to live at least 1src more years, per the guidelines. (The US Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends every-other-year screening for women 4src to 74).

But if you’re considered high risk for breast cancer, you may need to be screened starting at age 3src, alternating between a mammogram and MRI every year. That includes having a lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 2src% to 25% or higher based on assessment tools (which mostly consider family cancer history), having a known BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutation, a first-degree relative with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, a history of radiation therapy to the chest before age 3src, or having Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or a first-degree relative with one of those conditions, per the ACS. (Keep in mind that some people with dense breasts may also need additional screenings, like breast ultrasound or a breast MRI.)

Breast cancer mortality rates have dropped in the last 5src years, and many organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and ACS, chalk that up in part to increased screenings.

“Screening is crucial,” Dr. Ruiz says. “You do these early screens and you nip things in the bud before they’re life-threatening.” In fact, according to the CDC, when cancer is found in a localized stage—meaning it hasn’t spread outside of the breast—the five-year relative survival rate is nearly 99%. Part of the reason is because early detection also usually gives women more choices around treatment, Dr. Grumley says. “The earlier you find it, the more options you have, and the better your outcomes,” she says. For instance, it’s typically easier to treat breast cancer that’s only in the breast tissue versus cancer that’s spread (a.k.a. metastasized) from the breast to the lymph nodes or other organs.

Still, breast cancer rates are increasing in women, especially in young women, making it more important now than ever to stay vigilant about your breast health.

You can get screened, even if you don’t have an established relationship with a doctor.

While your general practitioner or ob/gyn can order a mammogram for you, Dr. Ataya says you don’t need to go that route if you don’t have an established relationship with a healthcare provider. “Women who are 4src or older and don’t have symptoms can schedule a mammogram without a doctor’s referral,” she says. (Like we mentioned, if you have a higher risk of breast cancer due to family history or other reasons, you may be eligible for earlier screenings—and you may want to connect with a healthcare provider or breast center for personal guidance for your unique situation, Dr. Grumley says.)

This is the case at multiple breast centers across the country, Dr. Ataya says. Planned Parenthood also offers breast cancer screening and mammograms to women, Dr. Ruiz says. And the FDA has an online search tool to help you find a screening site too. “Waiting on a referral should never be a barrier to getting screened,” Dr. Ataya says.

One thing to keep in mind: It’s not uncommon to be called back for additional testing after a mammogram. In fact, this happens in about 1src% of cases, per the National Cancer Institute (NCI). So don’t let that worry dissuade you from getting screened in the first place. If you do get that message, Dr. Grumley says it’s important not to panic. “Getting called back does not mean you have cancer,” she says. “It just means we need to have a better look.” Only 7% led to a cancer diagnosis, according to the NCI.

If you have a doctor and aren’t sure about whether you need a mammogram, reach out to their office and ask. They should be able to guide you from there. The idea of breast cancer screening is a little intimidating, and it’s easy to push it off. But not getting screened doesn’t mean you’re cancer-free—it just means you don’t know what’s happening in your body.