Do Mammohrams Have Age Limits?

Women start to wonder if it is the right time for them to get a mammogram the moment they turn 40. Some experts claim that getting a mammogram at this age can be more harmful which is why the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force has recommended that screening should be done when a woman reaches the age of 50 and then every two years from thereon.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) used to recommend 40 as the right are but moved this to 45. These recommendations however do not apply to women who have lumps since they obviously require a mammogram. Women who are at a high risk of getting breast cancer due to family history are also urged to get a mammogram at age 40 or even earlier.

Stop Cancer Fund said mammograms can help early detection of breast cancer but it also has its advantages and risks. The National Center for Health Research and their Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund however recommends that women who want to be cautious can get a mammogram at 45 and then wait until she is 50 for the next mammogram if the result is normal.

"Nobody is arguing that fewer women won't die if they get mammograms at 40, and nobody is arguing there aren't harms that come along with starting that early," said Therese Bevers, MD, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Web MD said the biggest concern about getting a mammogram at an early age is getting false-positives, which means the patient gets suspicious results that turn out not so suspicious at all. Younger women and those who have not had menopause yet tend to have dense breasts which make mammograms difficult to read. Others however argue that a woman who gets a mammogram at 40 will have lesser likelihood of dying from cancer.

Medicine Net said there are warning signs for breast cancer but these are often ignored by women especially the younger ones. Breast cancer cannot be prevented but when it is detected early then it can be treated at an early stage, increasing the chances of survival.