Breast cancer
had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30. (See below for guidelines for women at high risk.)
Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year. Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms. Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live at least 10 more years. All women should understand what to expect when getting a mammogram for breast cancer screening – what the test can and cannot do. Clinical breast exams are not recommended for breast cancer screening among average-risk women at any age.
Mammogram
Mammography is an imaging modality that uses low-energy X-rays specifically for imaging of breast tissue. Mammography practice utilises standardised views of the breasts for the assessment of breast lesions. It is also used as a screening tool for the detection of early breast cancer in asymptomatic women. Each breast is examined separately and compressed against the film to obtain maximum visualisation of masses or calcifications. Early detection of breast cancer allows early treatment and increased rates of survival.
Regular mammograms can help find breast cancer at an early stage, when treatment is most successful. A mammogram can often find breast changes that could be cancer years before physical symptoms develop. Results from many decades of research clearly show that women who have regular mammograms are more likely to have breast cancer found early, are less likely to need aggressive treatment like surgery to remove the breast (mastectomy) and chemotherapy, and are more likely to be cured.
Mammograms are not perfect. They miss some cancers. And sometimes a woman will need more tests to find out if something found on a mammogram is or is not cancer. There's also a small possibility of being diagnosed with a cancer that never would have caused any problems had it not been found during screening (overdiagnosis). It's important that women getting mammograms know what to expect and understand the benefits and limitations of screening.
There are different imaging tests available to find breast cancer including mammogram, breast ultrasound, breast MRI and certain newer and experimental breast imaging tests. Mammograms are the best breast cancer screening tests we have at this time.
Women who are at high risk for breast cancer based on certain factors should get a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, typically starting at age 30. This includes women who:
Have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 20 per cent to 25 per cent or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history (see below)
Have a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation (based on having had genetic testing)
Have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister or child) with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation and have not had genetic testing themselves
Had radiation therapy to the chest when they were between the ages of 10 and 30 years
Have certain medical conditions such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, etc. or have firstdegree relatives with one of these syndromes.