How often should women over 50 have mammograms?

That is debatable.

Nearly all US organizations recommend regular, usually annual, mammograms from age 50-65. Just about all recommend starting at age 40 but many say it is OK to do them every other year from 40-50.

The US task force for prevenative health services recently did a study that suggested that for women aged 40-49 who are at average risk for every one Breast cancer death that is averted through mammography:

- 1900 mammograms need to be done.

- 600 repeat mammograms will be done.

- 50-100 of those will have a biopsy done.

- 3-6 women will be diagnosed with cancer and have some combination of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy for a lump that would never have killed them.

They did not recommend against screening in women in their 40's but said that it should not be automatic and should be done after careful consideration of the risks and benefits.

Some factors, such as family history, may make earlier screening worth while.

If you feel a lump that is no longer screening and should be investigated to matter what the age.