Cancer Screening Tests Every Woman Should Get

Cancer Screening Tests Every Woman Should Get

WebMD Feature

As you write up your health to-do list this year, don't forget to ask your doctor which cancer screening tests you need and when to have them. They can help you catch the disease early, when it's easier to treat.

Breast Cancer

A screening test can often find this type of cancer when a lump is too small for you to feel, and before the disease has spread to other parts of your body.

Mammogram. This is the main way doctors check for breast cancer. It uses X-rays to create pictures of the inside of your breasts.  

A 3-D mammogram takes several pictures so your doctor can see images from different angles.

A technician will place one breast at a time on a special platform. Then a clear plastic paddle will press down on your breast to spread it out. This is done to make sure the X-ray gets all your tissue in the picture. You may need to change positions so the technician can take pictures from different views. You'll have to hold your breath for a couple of seconds.

Breast self-exams. Most health groups don't recommend that women do these. Yet it can't hurt to be familiar with your breasts, so you'll know if you have any new lumps or growths.

Who should get tested and how often?Sometimes mammograms can find something that isn't cancer, which might cause women to get more tests or even treatment they didn't really need. This risk is one reason why different groups have their own recommendations on breast cancer screening.

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says women ages 50 to 74 should have mammograms every other year.
• The American Cancer Society says women ages 45 to 54 should have it done once a year, while those 55 or older should get them every 2 years.

If you're at a higher risk for breast cancer because of a family history or other reasons, talk to your doctor. You might need to get mammograms earlier and more often than these guidelines recommend. You may also need to add other screening tests, such as an MRI.

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