A mammogram is a cure for breast cancer. A mammogram is a diagnostic tool used to find breast cancer, not a treatment. A mammogram is a simple procedure that can reveal small breast cancers up to two years before they can be detected by touch. One mammogram is all you ever need. Every woman should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35-40, a mammogram every other year until age 50, and one every year after the age of 50.
Early detection is the key to survival.
The earlier breast cancer is detected, the more options a woman has for effective treatment and survival. A mammogram is not effective in detecting breast cancer in dense breast tissue. While more difficult to interpret in younger women because of denser breast tissue, breast cancer can be detected with mammograms. If a younger woman is having unusual symptoms, she should see a physician immediately. She may need to have a mammogram at a younger age than 35, depending upon her physical condition and the recommendation of a reliable physician.