Why Mammograms Belong in the Group Chat

Nicole Seagriff's Story

Nicole Seagriff was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26, more than three decades earlier than the American Cancer Society's median age of 62.

“I got genetic testing in 2012, which found I had a BRCA2 genetic mutation. I met with a high-risk oncologist who ordered an MRI. The MRI found the cancer”

2024 Cancer Report

In 2024, the American Cancer Society published a report showing younger adults had an increase in cancer cases between 1995 and 2020.

When to Start Mammograms

American Cancer Society recommends women start considering mammograms at age 40 and talk to their doctors.

USPSTF Guidelines

USPSTF recommends mammograms every other year starting at age 40 through age 74.

Risk Factors

Family history, radiation exposure, early periods, pregnancy, cancer syndromes, and race/ethnicity impact breast cancer risk.

Genetic Risk

Women with BRCA2 mutations should start mammograms at least 10 years before family member's diagnosis age.

Dense Breasts

About 40 percent of women have dense breasts, which can hide cancer on mammograms.

Black Women's Risk

Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer under 40 and have a 40 percent higher mortality rate than white women.

Risk Assessment

Doctors use a risk calculator to determine if a woman's lifetime breast cancer risk is 20 percent or higher.

Early Screening

Women with risk factors should get mammograms sooner than 40 and more frequently.

Alternative Tests

MRI and ultrasound can detect cancer in dense breasts that mammograms might miss.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

Start conversations with your doctor at age 30 to discuss breast cancer risk factors.

The Bottom Line

Breast cancer risk factors matter more than age for when to get a mammogram.