Who Needs Breast Screenings?

If you hunt the answers to health questions on the internet, you may be confused about mammograms and breast screenings. If you don’t have a family history of breast cancer, do you need one? When should you get one? And how often?

Your mother didn’t have breast cancer. Neither did your grandmothers. You figure that means that you’re at low risk. But it doesn’t mean anything of the kind; only about 5-10% of breast cancers are due to genetic factors.

Even though breast cancer rates have dropped since the year 2000, it’s still the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States, after skin cancer. It’s also the second leading cause of cancer deaths, after lung cancer.

The average American woman’s risk for breast cancer is almost 13%. That translates into about one in every eight women who’ll be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. The chance for cancer is greater, of course, if you have other risk factors.

Catching cancer early, thanks to breast screening, such as mammograms, and advances in treatment have helped more women survive the disease. That’s why it’s important to add breast cancer screenings into your self-care regimen, regardless of family history.

At Mass Medical Imaging in Lake Forest, Illinois, our expert doctors Joseph Calandra, MD, and Karen Mass, MD, recommend regular screening mammograms for all women. We offer both screening mammograms and — if we detect suspicious areas — diagnostic mammograms, too.

When should you start your breast screening, and how often should you have a mammogram? The answer depends on several factors.

Who should get breast screenings?

All women should get a mammogram no later than age 40. You continue mammograms every year or two until you reach age 70. If you expect to live more than 10 years past the age of 70, you can opt to continue regular mammograms.

Who should start mammograms early?

You should begin mammograms at age 35 if you’re at high risk for breast cancer. Factors that put you into the high risk category include:

Family history of breast cancer
Personal history of breast cancer
BRCA gene mutations
Chest radiation therapy before age 30

We recommend yearly mammograms if you’re in the high risk category. Annual mammograms increase the chances that we catch any cancers at early stages, when they’re still small and highly treatable.

How often do I get mammograms?

Your risk for breast cancer increases as you age. If you don’t have any of the high risk factors and you’re between the ages of 40 and 44, you can choose to either get a mammogram every year or every two years.

Between ages 45 and 54, you should get a mammogram each year. After age 55, you can switch back to exams every two years if you wish. However, we recommend annual exams if you have extra risk factors.

What are some extra risk factors?

Other factors that slightly elevate your risk for breast cancer may determine whether you’re comfortable switching to mammograms every second year instead of annually. You may wish to remain with annual exams if you:

Started your period before age 12
Have dense breasts
Are Ashkenazi Jewish
Are taller
Have other breast conditions
Entered menopause after age 55
Were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES)

If you have dense breasts, you may need to get a second set of diagnostic mammograms to view areas that are hard to interpret on X-rays. Or, you could opt for a 3-D mammogram, which tends to be more sensitive.

What about false positives?

You may be leery of mammograms because of the risk of a false positive that may lead to an unnecessary biopsy or treatment. Only about 11% of women in the US receive a false positive on their first mammogram.

False positives create anxiety and may lead to overtreatment. However, one of the worst consequences of a false positive is that it may lead to noncompliance with future mammograms.

Skipping mammograms due to false positives is risky. Women with false positives actually have an increased risk of getting breast cancer within 10 years, when compared with women who didn’t receive false positive results.

At our center, we don’t rely on a single mammogram to diagnose cancer. If we detect suspicious areas, we order diagnostic mammograms to take a closer, more detailed look. Mammogram screening is associated with a 20% lower incidence of breast cancer deaths.

Is it time for your first or next mammogram? Schedule your breast screening today by calling our friendly team or using our online appointment form.