Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations for persons at “general population risk” (refers to persons of a certain age, who are not known to have any medical conditions, family history of cancer or specific exposures that would increase the risk of developing certain type/s of cancer above that of the general population

Beginning at age 40 years

• annual clinical breast examination by your doctor or other health care provider
• mammography every year

Breast Cancer Surveillance Recommendations for persons at “Increased risk” ^* (see below for examples of "increased risk", these levels are variable; talk with your doctor)

Beginning at age 30 years (or 10 years prior to age of earliest breast cancer case in family)

• talk with your doctor about your family history of cancer and your overall health status
• discuss age to begin mammography and plan for on-going surveillance
• develop surveillance plan for breast examination with your doctor/health care provider
• consider involvement in a prevention trial
• consider a consultation with a genetic counselor for risk assessment

^*Breast Cancer Risk Increases For

• women who have a mother and/or sister(s), daughter(s) with breast cancer, especially if one or more is diagnosed before age 50 years
• women with a history of breast cancer or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
• women who have a father and/or paternal relatives (grandmother or aunts) with breast cancer, especially if one or more is diagnosed before age 50 years
• women who have maternal relatives (grandmother or aunts) with breast cancer, especially if diagnosed before age 50 years
• families with a history of breast, ovary and/or colon & rectum cancers among mothers/fathers, brothers/sisters, children and/or maternal or paternal relatives (aunts/uncles, grandparents)
• families with a history of cancers and/or inherited conditions or known/suspected gene mutation associated with breast cancer risk (e.g., Ashkenazi Jewish heritage)
• women with history of therapeutic irradiation to the chest