It is important to make an informed decision to screen by being aware of the benefits and limitations of screening mammograms.
Benefits
Finding cancer early means that it is less likely to have spread and treatment can be started earlier with better outcomes.
About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 28 women is expected to die from the disease.
Screening mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early. Mammograms can usually find lumps two or three years before you or your health care provider can feel them.
Research has shown a greater than 25% reduction in deaths from breast cancer for people who regularly screen.
While people with a family history of breast cancer have a higher-than-average risk, the most significant
risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman over 50 years old.
Over 80% of new breast cancers diagnosed each year in BC are in women age 50 or older.
Not all breasts look the same on a mammogram – age and/or
breast density can make cancers more or less difficult to see. In general, screening mammograms are less effective in younger people because they tend to have denser breast tissue.
Some cancers cannot be detected on a mammogram because of the location of the cancer or the density of the breast tissue. About 25% of cancers in women ages 40-49 are not detectable by a screening mammogram, compared with about 10% in women older than 50.
On average, 9% of people screened through BC Cancer Breast Screening will need additional testing to look more closely at a specific area of the breast. This does not mean that a cancer was found – over 95% of people recalled for additional testing do not have cancer.
The benefits of regular mammograms outweigh the risks posed by the small amount of radiation you are exposed to.
