Mammograms may be beneficial for women over 75

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a study published in Radiology, women over 75, a population not typically included in mammography screening effectiveness studies, may benefit from mammograms. The researchers found that breast cancer discovered during mammography were stage I 62% of the time, while breast cancer detected by patients or physicians were more likely stage II or III. Patients whose cancer was mammography-detected less often underwent masectomies or chemotherapy compared to patients whose cancer was self-detected or discovered by the physician. In addition, those patients whose invasive breast cancer was mammography-detected had a significantly better five-year survival compared to those whose cancer was detected by the patient or physician.


Some oncologists argue that routine screening with mammographies is not necessary and may lead to overtreatment and unnecessary side effects. Current guidelines differ on the topic of routine mammograms. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women have annual mammograms beginning at age 40 as long as they continue to be healthy. On the other hand, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine screening between the ages of 50 and 74 years and mammograms every two years rather than annually. The USPSTF also regard breast self-exams as having minimal value.