Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

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Make sure to talk with your doctor about when you should start breast cancer screening based on your health history.

Breast Cancer Risk Categories and Screening Guidelines

Screening recommendations for women at average breast cancer risk

American Cancer Society screenings recommendations for women at average breast cancer risk

These guidelines are for women at average risk for breast cancer. For screening purposes, a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn’t have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known to increase risk of breast cancer (such as in a BRCA gene), and has not had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30.

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 10 more years or longer.

All women should understand what to expect when getting a mammogram for breast cancer screening – what the test can and cannot do.

Source: American Cancer Society