How Often Should Women Get Mammograms?

We, at PrimeMedical, are often asked a question by almost countless women belonging to varied age groups: “How often should women get mammograms?” Advances in Medicine and greater awareness has meant that women are now more knowledgeable about the threat of breast cancer and how timely screening procedures can help detect this disease early and thus increase their chances of making a complete recovery. It is not surprising to note that more and more women today ask, “How often should women get mammograms?

To answer the question on how often should women get mammograms, it is imperative that we first define what is a screening mammogram. It is an x-ray of both the breasts to detect signs or presence of cancer in women with no apparent symptoms. Mammograms can detect tumors that breast self-examinations fail to detect and also calcifications that may be a symptom of breast cancer. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the incidence of death from breast cancer is less in women who have undergone screening mammograms than amongst those who have not. The importance of the answer to the question, “How often should women get mammograms” is obvious from the above description of the benefits of this screening test.

A comprehensive answer to the question on how often should women get mammograms has been provided by the American Cancer Society (ACS). According to the ACS, women with average risk of developing breast cancer should undergo screening mammograms every one or two years once they hit 40 years of age.

ACS’s recommendations on how often should women get mammograms however, needs a clarification. Women with a higher risk of breast cancer, like those who have a family and/or personal history of the disease or are considered to belong to the high-risk category due to other factors, must consult their physicians about the frequency of undergoing this test.

So, whether you know how often should women get mammograms or would want more information, call us at 310-548-0201 to schedule an appointment with our expert and experienced women’s health practitioners or to book a screening mammogram test at our state-of-the-art facility in San Pedro.

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