How Sensitive Are Screening Mammograms in Women with and without a Family History of Breast Cancer?
A mammogram is an x-ray test that looks for (screens) breast cancer at early stages, when it is most treatable. Mammography screening should begin by age 50; some experts recommend that mammograms begin at age 40. Women with a history of breast cancer in a mother, sister, or daughter are at higher risk for breast cancer than women without such a history. Many doctors advise women with a family history of breast cancer to begin mammography during their 30s and 40s, but the benefit of that practice is unknown. It is also not known whether mammograms have the same sensitivity in women with and without a family history of breast cancer. Sensitivity means how good the test is at detecting cancer when cancer is really there.
Related Questions
- What is the psychological impact of mammographic screening on younger women with a family history of breast cancer?
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- How Sensitive Are Screening Mammograms in Women with and without a Family History of Breast Cancer?
