Breast
Cancer and Mammography Information
An estimated 203,500
new invasive cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among women
in the United States during 2002.1
Mammography is the best way to detect breast cancer in its
earliest, most treatable stage—an average of 1–3 years before a woman
can feel the lump. Mammography also locates cancers too small to be
felt during a clinical breast examination.
Simply being a
woman and getting older puts you at some risk for breast cancer. Your
risk for breast cancer continues to increase over your lifetime. Several
factors can further increase your risk for breast cancer. For more
information regarding these known risks contact the National
Cancer Institute.
Screening Tests
for Women of Different Ages2
| Age |
Recommendation |
Benefit |
| Age
40 to 49 |
Mammogram
every 1 to 2 years, with or without clinical breast exam |
May
reduce risk of dying from breast cancer by 17 percent |
| Age
50 to 74 |
Mammogram
every 1 to 2 years, with or without clinical breast exam |
May
reduce risk of dying from breast cancer by 30 percent |
1Source:
Cancer Facts and Figures 2002, American Cancer Society, 2002.
2Source: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
To
find out more about breast cancer and mammography screening visit
or call one of the following organizations:
National
Cancer Institute
1 (800) 4CANCER
American
Cancer Society
(800) ACS-2345
NBCAM:
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
(877) 886-2226
US
Food and Drug Administration's Mammography Program
(301) 594-1900
U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services Press Release on Mammography Screening
English
Spanish
U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force Mammography Screening Guidelines
*Links at this
site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do
not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs
by Memorial Medical Center, and none should be inferred. Memorial
Medical Center is not responsible for the content of the individual
organization Web pages found at these links.
