Screening Tests for Adults (Ages 30-49)

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women. With timely mammograms for women 40 years of age and older, about 16 percent of all deaths from breast cancer could be prevented, say the nation's public health advisors. This imaging test detects a lump an average of 1 to 3 years before you can feel it.

For women in their 20s and 30s:

• The American Cancer Society recommends a breast exam by a health professional about every 3 years as part of a regular health exam.

For women age 40 and up:

• The American Cancer Society, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Women's Association, and numerous national women's groups recommend annual screening for those of average risk as follows:
  • Beginning at 40 years of age, women should have a mammogram and breast exam by a health professional each year.
• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation for those of average risk is as follows:
  • Under age 50, the decision when to start screening should be based on a woman's medical history and risk factors.
  • Between ages 50 and 74, women should have a routine screening mammogram every other year.

These recommendations are for women without known risk factors for breast cancer. If you have an increased risk, you should develop an individualized screening program with the guidance of your doctor. The ACS link below provides a list of factors that can increase the risk of breast cancer, including genetic predisposition and family or personal history of breast cancer.

Links
American Cancer Society: What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
American Cancer Society: Can breast cancer be found early?
College of American Pathologists: MyHealthTestReminder.com - Mammograms.

Sources

American Medical Women's Association. Breast cancer screening. Revised 2000. Available on the Internet at http://www.amwa-doc.org/index.cfm?objectId=0AA0C8F2-D567-0B25-565A679EEA33CD7D through http://www.amwa-doc.org. Accessed 7 Feb 2008.

American Cancer Society. Detailed guide: breast cancer—can breast cancer be found early? Revised 13 Sep 2007. Available on the Internet at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_3x.asp?dt=5 through http://www.cancer.org. Accessed 7 Feb 2008.

American Cancer Society. Breast cancer: early detection. Available on the Internet at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/2_6x_breast_cancer_early_detection.asp through http://www.cancer.org. Accessed 15 Jul 2004 and 7 Feb 2008.

National Women's Health Information Center, US Department of Health and Human Services. General screenings and immunizations for women. Material posted as of Nov 2007. Available on the Internet at http://www.4women.gov/screeningcharts/general through http://www.4women.gov. Accessed 4 Feb 2008.

US Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2007. Available on the Internet at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd07/gcp2c.htm through http://www.ahrq.gov. Accessed 4 Feb 2008.

American Academy of Family Physicians. Summary of recommendations for clinical preventive services (rev 6.4). 15 Aug 2007. Available on the Internet through http://www.guideline.gov. Accessed 4 Feb 2008.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women's health—facts and stats—selected US national research findings—cancer. 2004. Available on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/women/natstat/cancer.htm#breast through http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed 7 Feb 2008.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services. Breast cancer: the most common malignancy in women. Spring 2004. Prevention Report 18(3). Available on the Internet at http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/PUBS/prevrpt/04Volume18/Issue3pr.htm through http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov. Accessed 7 Feb 2008.

American College of Radiology. Breast care guidelines (press release). Nov 2000.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program—reducing mortality through screening (2003 program fact sheet). Revised May 2004. Available on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/about.htm through http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed 15 Jul 2004.

US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for breast cancer: recommendations and rationale (release date Feb 2002). 3 Sep 2002. Ann Intern Med 137(5 Part 1):344-346. Available on the Internet at http://www.ahcpr.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsbrca.htm through http://www.ahcpr.gov. Accessed 15 Jul 2004 and 7 Feb 2008.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy People 2010, increase proportion receiving mammogram objective 3.13. Available on the Internet at http://www.healthypeople.gov/document/html/objectives/03-13.htm through http://www.healthypeople.gov. Accessed 15 Jul 2004 and 7 Feb 2008.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Table 80: use of mammography for women 40 years of age and over according to selected characteristics: United States, selected years 1987-2000. Health, United States 2003. Available on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hus/womens.htm through http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed 6 Aug 2004.

Screening for Breast Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine. November 17, 2009 vol. 151 no. 10 716-726. Available online at http://www.annals.org/content/151/10/716.full through http://www.annals.org. Accessed November 2009.

ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins–Gynecology. Practice Bulletin No. 122: Breast cancer screening. Obstet Gynecol 2011 Aug; 118:372.