Routine mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early, before a lump is felt and when treatment is most likely to be effective. Regular mammograms are especially important as women grow older, since most breast cancer occurs in women over 50. In 1997 alone, approximately 180,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 44,000 died from the disease. Detecting breast cancer at the earliest possible stage is the best thing you can do to increase your chances of surviving the disease. Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in this country.
Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer-related deaths.
Most women who get breast cancer have no known risk factors, such as family history of the disease. Scientific studies have shown that regular screening mammograms can help decrease the chance of dying from breast cancer. The benefits are greater for women over the age of 50, although women in their forties who have regular mammograms also may have a reduced risk of dying from breast cancer. Women no longer need to be confused about following the best recommendations for detecting early breast cancer. You are 45 years of age of older and have at least 75 percent dense breast tissue on a mammogram.