Mammography Facts

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Breast Cancer in the United States is the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Your chance of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years: (mybreast cancernetwork.com)

  • Age 20: 1 in 1,837
  • Age 30: 1 in 234
  • Age 40: 1 in 70
  • Age 50: 1 in 50
  • Age 60: 1 in 28
  • Age 70: 1 in 26

Although breast cancer diagnosis rate has increased since the early 1990s, the overall death rate from breast cancer has dropped. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

Barring a cure, an estimated 5 million Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the next 25 years. More than 1 million could die. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

61% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed before the cancer has spread outside the breast; 5-year relative survival rates for these cancers are 98.1%. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

Just over 12% of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death (after lung cancer), in American women. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

95% of the new cases and 97% of breast cancer deaths occurred in women aged 40 and older. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

31% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed after the cancer has spread outside the breast (to regional lymph nodes, but not beyond). The 5-year relative survival rate for these cancers is 83.8%. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

Alcohol consumption increases your breast cancer risk. Studies suggest that the equivalent of 2 drinks a day (24 g of alcohol) may increase breast cancer risk of 21%. (MyBreastCancerNetwork.com)

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74. (About.com)

The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman’s mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present. (About.com)

Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance of survival. (About.com)

Estrogen replacement therapy for over 5 years slightly increases breast cancer risk; however the increased risk appears to disappear 5-10 years after discontinuing the use of estrogen replacement therapy.

Relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer are: 89% at five years after diagnosis; 82% after 10 years; 75% after 15 years (ACS.org)

At this time, there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, which is why regular mammograms are so important. (ACS.org)

Women at high risk include those who:

  • Have a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation
  • Have a first-degree relative (mother, father, brother, sister, or child) with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, and have not had genetic testing themselves
  • Have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of approximately 20%-25% or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history
  • Had radiation therapy to the chest when they were between the ages of 10 and 30 years
  • Have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have a firstdegree relative with one of these syndromes

Mammography reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer. Early detection of breast cancer by mammography may lead to a greater range of treatment options, including less-aggressive surgery (e.g., lumpectomy vs. mastectomy) and adjuvant therapy.

Not all breast cancer will be detected by a mammogram and some breast cancers detected by mammography may still have poor prognosis.

5%-10% of women have their mammogram interpreted as abnormal or inconclusive until further tests are done. In most instances, additional tests (imaging studies and/or biopsy) lead to a final interpretation of normal breast tissue or benign (non-cancerous) tissue.

Studies have shown that many breast cancers are diagnosed as larger, more advanced cancers simply because too much time has elapsed from the date of the last normal mammogram. For this reason, women should talk with their doctors about a plan for receiving regular mammograms according to recommended guidelines.

The level of radiation used in modern mammography does not measurably increase the risk for breast cancer.

Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health insurance plans cover mammogram costs or a percentage of them.

For average-risk asymptomatic women in their 20s and 30s, it is recommended that a breast exam be a part of a regular health examination, preferably at least every 3 years. For women aged 40 and older, annual CBE can be an important complement to mammography, since a small percentage of cancers may be missed by mammography.