Mammograms – the best way to check for breast cancer
Women aged 50-74 are targeted in advertising campaigns, but should younger women also get screened?
Key points
Mammograms are free in Australia.
Target range for screening is 50-74 year old women.
There are calls for screening to begin at 40.
A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. More than 75% of breast cancers fall into the 50 to 74 years age group, and regular breast screens (mammograms) are the best way to detect the disease early.
However, there are calls for women as young as 40 to be screened regularly.
State and territory screening services send a letter to eligible women inviting them for a free mammogram every two years.
Dr Ben Lancashire, a breast cancer specialist and surgeon at Mater Private Hospital in Brisbane, advises screening should begin at 40 and continue every two years, especially for those who have a family history of breast cancer.
A mammogram is a breast cancer screening test used to examine people who don’t have any reason to suspect they might have breast cancer.
It is also an important part of a diagnostic test for people who have a breast lump.
The procedure uses low-dose x-rays to create an image of the breast. It can find changes in the tissue that are too small to feel during a physical examination.
Breast screens aren’t encouraged for women under 40 due to greater breast density among younger women, making it more difficult for mammograms to detect small cancers.
Women in the target range, between 50 and 74 years, are invited by mail to have a free mammogram every two years. The test is still free if you are aged between 40 and 49 years, or 75 years and over – you just won’t receive an invitation in the mail.
All this doesn’t mean younger women don’t get breast cancer and shouldn’t screen.
At 27 years of age, Jess Bailey was doing a work-out when she rested her weights on her chest.
She felt a hard lump, like a marble. After seeing her GP, Jess got an ultrasound done and was quickly advised to get a mammogram.
“I found out they only allow mammograms for younger women if there’s a concern with the ultrasound results,” she told the ABC.
Jess was diagnosed with breast cancer, even though she had no family history of the disease.
The good news is that by August 2021, Jess had finished her chemotherapy and radiation, and now says life is “pretty much back to normal”.
Young women are advised to see their GP first to explore other tests, such as an MRI, biopsy or ultrasound, before getting a mammogram.
If you’ve had breast cancer in the past and are under the care of a specialist, imaging services will be arranged, including surveillance mammograms.
The brochure, BreastScreen and You, has more details.
The radiographer places the breasts one at a time between two plates on an x-ray machine. The machine presses firmly on the breasts to take the image. This takes about 10 seconds per breast. Two x-rays are usually taken of each breast. It can be uncomfortable, but only for a very short time.
The whole appointment usually takes about 20 minutes. You usually receive the results by mail within two weeks.
All BreastScreen Australia radiographers are female.
Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about breast cancer and you have:
A family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
Had breast cancer in the past five years.
- Any
They can help you decide on the most appropriate care.
Men: Breast cancer is both rarer and more difficult to detect in men of any age, so the harms of screening mammograms are currently assessed as outweighing the benefits.
Men of all ages are instead encouraged to report any changes or concerns they have about their breasts to their doctor. Find out more about breast cancer in men here.
Related reading: Health Direct, ABC, Health Department
