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Breast Cancer and Mammography Information
Breast Cancer and Mammography Information
An estimated 215,990 new invasive cases of breast cancer are expected
to occur among women in the United States during 2004.1 Mammography
is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable
stagean average of 13 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 2004, American
Cancer Society, 2004.
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:
*Links to non-Federal organizations found 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 CDC or the Federal
Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the
content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
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