Breast Cancer Screening for Women at Average Risk

Figure 3.1 shows breast cancer screening recommendations for women at average risk.

Benefits of screening mammography for women ages 40-49

Screening mammography in women ages 40-49 may lower the risk of dying from breast cancer, though the benefit is less than for older women [16,34].

Komen believes all women should have access to regular screening mammograms when they and their health care providers decide it’s best based on their risk of breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society states women should have the option to have a mammogram every year, starting at age 40 [168]. It recommends screening mammography every year starting at age 45 [168].

Risks of screening mammography for women ages 40-49

Overdiagnosis and overtreatment are risks of screening mammography. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment occur when a mammogram finds a cancer that never would have caused symptoms or problems if it had never been diagnosed and had been left untreated.

Another drawback of mammography in women ages 40-49 is a high rate of false positive results (when a screening test shows an abnormal finding that may be cancer when in fact, cancer isn’t present) [34-35]. Younger women are more likely than older women to have a false positive result on a mammogram [35].

Getting a false positive result means women will be told they have an abnormal finding and undergo follow-up tests. These tests may include a diagnostic mammogram, breast ultrasound or even a biopsy.

Learn more about follow-up of an abnormal mammogram.

Why are there different screening recommendations for women ages 40-49?

Figure 3.1 shows breast cancer screening recommendations for women at average risk.

Screening mammography in women ages 40-49 may lower the risk of dying from breast cancer, though the benefit is less than for older women [16,34]. Some major health organizations have concluded the modest potential benefits of screening mammography for women in their 40s may not outweigh the risks of overdiagnosis, overtreatment and false positive results [35].

Komen believes all women should have access to regular screening mammograms when they and their health care providers decide it’s best based on their risk of breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society states women ages 40-44 should have the option to have a mammogram every year [168]. It recommends screening mammography every year starting at age 45 [168].

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends screening mammography for women every year starting at age 40 [169].

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammography for women every 2 years starting at age 40 [170].

The American College of Physicians recommends women 40-49 talk with their health care providers about their risk of breast cancer and the pros and cons of screening mammography [35]. Then, together, they should make informed decisions about when to start getting mammograms and how often to get screened [35].

Informed decisions are guided by a woman’s breast cancer risk profile. Women at higher risk of breast cancer are more likely to benefit from routine screening mammography than other women [35,168-170].

Decisions should also be guided by a woman’s preferences based on the potential benefits and risks of mammography [35,168-170].

Talk with your health care provider about when to start getting mammograms.

Learn more about weighing the benefits and risks of screening mammography, including information on overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

	For a summary of research studies on mammography in women ages 40-49, visit the Breast Cancer Research Studies section.
	For a summary of research studies on digital breast tomosynthesis (3D mammography) for breast cancer screening, visit the Breast Cancer Research Studies section.