Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Caring for women who are at high risk for breast cancer

Breast Cancer Screening Methods

Uses sound waves to develop a picture of the breast tissue
Often recommended in younger women with dense glandular tissue

Visualisation of breast tissue through the use of low-dose X-ray

Thin cross-sectional images combined with conventional X-ray to develop 3D breast tissue images

Uses radio waves and strong magnets to develop detailed pictures of the breast
Recommended in conjunction with mammogram for high-risk patients

Women with mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes have a 50-80% risk of developing cancer
Recommended if a relative has a positive test for BRCA1/2 mutation

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Lumps

Nipple discharge

Dimpling

Breast or nipple pain

Nipple retraction or inversion

Redness

Changes to the skin’s texture

Lymph node changes

Swelling

Breast self-examination is not part of a routine breast cancer screening schedule. However, women are advised to be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any changes to their doctor right away.

Breast Self-Examination Know Your Breasts

Look

Feel

Ways to check:
During a shower on soapy skin
OR
Lie down with a rolled towel / pillow around your
shoulder.

Steps:

Stand in front of the mirror.
Compare the two breasts.
Observe the shape and size.
Look with arms at the sides, hands on the hips and arms raised above the head.

Steps:

Examine each breast using the opposite hand.
Place your left hand at your left ear.
Press left breast firmly with three of your right fingers.
Feel around the entire breast area for lumps or thickening.
Also feel for any lumps above and below your collar bone and armpit area.
Repeat the steps for your right breast.

It is not unusual for one breast to be larger than the other.

Do not squeeze nipples.

Look
	Steps: Stand in front of the mirror. Compare the two breasts. Observe the shape and size. Look with arms at the sides, hands on the hips and arms raised above the head. It is not unusual for one breast to be larger than the other.
Feel
	Steps: Examine each breast using the opposite hand. Place your left hand at your left ear. Press left breast firmly with three of your right fingers. Feel around the entire breast area for lumps or thickening. Also feel for any lumps above and below your collar bone and armpit area. Repeat the steps for your Right breast. Do not squeeze nipples.
Ways to check
	During a shower on soapy skin OR Lie down with a rolled towel / pillow around your shoulder.

Early Detection and Prompt Treatment Can Save Your Life

Doing regular breast-self examinations helps you familiarise yourself with the characteristics of your breasts.

This self-examination should be done after your menstrual period (day 7-10 of your period).

Breast self-examination is simple.
If you are breastfeeding, perform the test after your breasts are emptied of milk.	If you are pregnant or menopausal, select one day each month to do the test, for example: the beginning of the month.

Breast self-examination is simple.
	If you are breastfeeding, perform the test after your breasts are emptied of milk.
	If you are pregnant or menopausal, select one day each month to do the test, for example: the beginning of the month.

Breast Cancer: Risk Factors

Being a woman

Getting older

Radiation exposure

BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation

Personal or family
history of breast cancer

A woman is considered to be at high risk if she has a personal history of breast cancer, a family history of breast cancer or dense breasts. Her risk is even higher if she has a mutation in the BRCA gene or had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30.

Breast Cancer:
Minor Risk Factors

Late menopause (after age 55)

Early menstruation (before age 12)

Obesity

Having few children or never had children

Postmenopausal hormone therapy

Screening Guidelines
For Women With High Risk Ages 30-39 Talk to your doctor about breast cancer screening Ages 40-59 Begin yearly mammograms Age 60+ Transition to mammograms every other year			For Women With Very High Risk Ages 30-39 Get an annual breast MRI Ages 40-59 Get an annual breast mammogram Age 60+ Schedule a mammogram every other year

Screening Guidelines

For Women With High Risk

Ages 30-39

Talk to your doctor about breast cancer screening

Ages 40-59

Begin yearly mammograms

Age 60+

Transition to mammograms every other year

For Women With Very High Risk

Ages 30-39

Get an annual breast MRI

Ages 40-59

Get an annual breast mammogram

Age 60+

Schedule a mammogram every other year

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Click To Download PDF

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Click To Download PDF

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Breast Cancer Screening Methods

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Lumps

Nipple discharge

Dimpling

Breast or nipple pain

Nipple retraction or inversion

Redness

Changes to the skin’s texture

Lymph node changes

Swelling

Breast self-examination is not part of a routine breast cancer screening schedule. However, women are advised to be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any changes to their doctor right away.

Breast Self-Examination Know Your Breasts

Look

Feel

Look

Feel

Ways to check

Early Detection and Prompt Treatment Can Save Your Life

Doing regular breast-self examinations helps you familiarise yourself with the characteristics of your breasts.

This self-examination should be done after your menstrual period (day 7-10 of your period).

Breast self-examination is simple.

If you are breastfeeding, perform the test after your breasts are emptied of milk.

If you are pregnant or menopausal, select one day each month to do the test, for example: the beginning of the month.

Breast self-examination is simple.

If you are breastfeeding, perform the test after your breasts are emptied of milk.

If you are pregnant or menopausal, select one day each month to do the test, for example: the beginning of the month.

Breast Cancer: Risk Factors

Being a woman

Getting older

Radiation exposure

BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation

Personal or family history of breast cancer

A woman is considered to be at high risk if she has a personal history of breast cancer, a family history of breast cancer or dense breasts. Her risk is even higher if she has a mutation in the BRCA gene or had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30.

Breast Cancer: Minor Risk Factors

Late menopause (after age 55)

Early menstruation (before age 12)

Obesity

Having few children or never had children

Postmenopausal hormone therapy

Screening Guidelines

For Women With High Risk

Ages 30-39

Ages 40-59

Age 60+

For Women With Very High Risk

Ages 30-39

Ages 40-59

Age 60+

Screening Guidelines

For Women With High Risk

Ages 30-39

Ages 40-59

Age 60+

For Women With Very High Risk

Ages 30-39

Ages 40-59

Age 60+

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

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Personal or family
history of breast cancer

Breast Cancer:
Minor Risk Factors

For Women With
High Risk

For Women With
Very High Risk