~Women
& Aging Letter Excerpt, May 1997
Half of America's Women
are Not Getting the Mammograms They Should
Volume 2, Number 2
~Women
& Aging Letter Excerpt, May 1997
Half of America's Women
are Not Getting the Mammograms They Should
Volume 2, Number 2
Mammography Screening GuidelinesMammography can detect Cancer. Mammography screening as become safer and more accurate. Protect your most important resource -- your health. If you are over 40 years of age, pick a date you will remember, and make mammography a yearly habit!
| Organization | By Age 40 | 41-49 | 50-69 | 70-74 | 75+ |
| American Cancer Society | baseline exam | yearly | yearly | yearly | yearly |
| National Cancer Institute | no testing | Dr. discretion or every 1-2 years | yearly | yearly | yearly |
| American Geriatrics Society | no guideline | no guideline | after 65, every 2-3 years | every 2-3 years | every 2-3 years |
| U.S. Preventive Services Task Force | no testing | no testing | 1-2 year intervals | 1-2 year intervals | no testing |
More information:
- A clinical breast exam is recommended every 2-3 years for women age 20 to 40.
- Recommendations for ages 50 and over are endorsed by all major professional organizations.
- The National Cancer Institute recommends you start screenings at age 35 if you have a family history of breast cancer or other high risk factors.
- At ages 41-49, the Scientific Advisory Committee recommends screening be done at the doctor's discretion, while the Presidential Commission recommends screening every one to two years.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations form the basis of the Medicare screning benefit, which covers mammography every two years.