Mammography
One in 9 women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85. Breast cancer is more common with increasing age, and women with an immediate relative (mother, sister, daughter) with the disease are more at risk.
Early diagnosis of breast cancer
A technique called mammography can make early diagnosis of breast cancer possible. Mammograms are special X-rays of the breasts which can show breast cancers before they are big enough to be felt. This means earlier treatment and increased chance of curing the disease.
Screening mammography
Screening mammography, which involves taking these X-rays in women whose breasts feel normal, is now being encouraged, especially for women aged over 50 and younger women at increased risk. Experience suggests that many deaths may be prevented by widespread use of this test.
Who should have a mammogram?
The availability and cost of mammography varies. For women aged 50 to 69 mammography is available free of charge in Australia as part of the BreastScreen Australia Program. Women of other ages can also access mammography. A regular mammogram should become as routine as a regular Pap smear for many women. Discuss this test with your doctor, particularly if you have any close relatives with breast cancer or who have had it in the past.
Last Reviewed: 21 October 2009
- 1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Breast Cancer in Australia. An overview, 2009. Canberra: AIHW; 2009. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10852 (accessed Oct 2009).
2. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. BreastScreen Australia Program [website]. Available from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/faqs (accessed Oct 2009).
