Methodist Healthcare - December 04, 2020

In 2021 alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that about than 281,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S., and over 43,600 women will die of the disease. Early detection is proven to provide more options for treatment and a better chance of survival, and mammograms are the key to early detection. While experts can all agree that screening is essential, some have different opinions around what age to begin screening for breast cancer, and how often it should be done.

Understanding the differences between these guidelines, and the reasoning behind them can help you in your conversations about screening with your healthcare provider (HCP). Together, you can make an informed choice about your breast health.

Getting to know the guidelines

For women with an average breast cancer risk, none of the four organizations in question advise starting regular mammograms before age 40. The disease isn't as common during those years, and it's largely agreed upon that the potential harms (more on those below) significantly offset the benefits. The recommendations are as follows:

Keep in mind, mammography recommendations are different for women at a higher risk of breast cancer, such as those with certain genetic mutations or a personal or family history of the disease. These women should typically begin regular screenings sooner and may have them more frequently. Use our free risk assessment tool to help determine your personal risk. Results will be sent directly to your inbox.

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How long should you keep getting mammograms?

In short, there's no absolute age that screening should be discontinued. Instead, most everyone agrees that women should review their screening decisions when they turn 75 or when life expectancy is 10 years or less. If it's anticipated a woman will live another decade, it may be beneficial to keep up with regular imaging.

The basics of benefits and harms

In creating their guidelines for average-risk women, the ACS, ACOG, NCCN and USPSTF tried to balance the potential benefits of mammograms with their possible harms.

The benefits of mammograms are significant and well-known: regular screening can prolong and save lives. Between 1989 and 2016, the American breast cancer death rate fell 40 percent, likely due in part to the wider awareness and implementation of mammography.

Mammogram harms may be less familiar to the general public, which is why it's important to discuss these with your doctor. One common harm is the potential for a false positive. False positives are mammograms that appear abnormal at first but turn out to be non-cancerous. Whenever a woman receives abnormal results from a screening, she's called back for further testing, which can be costly and anxiety-inducing. They happen in about 1 of 10 mammograms.

Other possible harms include overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Overdiagnosis occurs when a mammogram detects a relatively minor cancer—one that would never progress into a critical, symptomatic problem and may even disappear on its own eventually. Overtreatment is the unnecessary treatment of these cancers, which can cause serious, otherwise avoidable mental and physical side effects. It's difficult to tabulate the number of women overdiagnosed and overtreated annually, since doctors can't predict exactly which tumors will become potentially life-threatening. Mammogram radiation may also be considered a harm. However, the chance that the X-ray exposure itself could lead to cancer is very low.

Deciding what's right for you

As you discuss screenings with your HCP, take into account these benefits and harms. Mammography guidelines serve as excellent references, and should be important factors in the decision, along with your individual risk, personal preferences and the advice of your HCP.

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