What is breast cancer screening?
Breast cancer screening involves a series of regular examinations aimed at detecting any existing breast cancer at an early stage. For this purpose, the doctor uses various examination methods that can be used to detect a malignant tumor in the breast:
- Palpation of the breast
- Ultrasound examination (sonography)
- Mammography (chest X-ray)
- If necessary, magnetic resonance imaging
In addition to regular visits to the doctor, women are recommended to carefully palpate their breasts themselves once a month in order to detect changes at an early stage.
As part of statutory breast cancer screening, health insurers cover the costs of various early detection measures. Some of these are better suited to younger women, others to older ones. Experts therefore recommend different examinations depending on the age of the patient. The individual risk of developing breast cancer also plays a role.
Breast cancer screening from the age of 20
Breast cancer screening from the age of 30
From the age of 30, an annual breast examination by a gynecologist is part of the statutory breast cancer screening. If the doctor detects any abnormalities, he or she will perform an ultrasound examination. He may also refer the patient to a physician with the appropriate qualifications or to a certified breast cancer center. A mammogram may also be necessary.
Breast cancer screening from the age of 40
Experts also recommend that women between the ages of 40 and 49 undergo an annual breast examination by their gynecologist. If there are any abnormalities, the doctor often orders a mammogram directly. In some cases, he or she may also perform an ultrasound examination, for example, if the breast tissue is very dense or in the case of a specific mammography result. Sometimes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also useful.
Breast cancer screening from the age of 50
Breast cancer screening from the age of 70
Breast cancer screening in this age group includes an annual palpation of the breast and – if palpation is conspicuous – a mammogram. It is only advisable for women with an increased risk of developing the disease to have mammography routinely performed, and only if their state of health permits it.
Breast cancer screening for women at increased risk of breast cancer
If women have an increased risk of breast cancer, intensified breast cancer screening is advisable. This means more frequent screening exams and possibly additional measures. Exactly what intensified breast cancer screening looks like in individual cases depends on how old the patient is and how much her risk of breast cancer is increased.
The Working Group on Gynecologic Oncology envisions the following examinations as part of intensified breast cancer screening for high-risk patients:
- Breast ultrasound: every six months starting at age 25
- Mammography: every one to two years from the age of 40, possibly even earlier if there is a higher risk – for example, due to dense mammary gland tissue
- Magnetic resonance imaging: annually if there is a very high risk of breast cancer, starting at age 25
- Magnetic resonance imaging: annually from the age of 25; if necessary also ultrasound of the breast – for example due to dense mammary gland tissue
- Mammography: annually from the age of 35
- Magnetic resonance imaging: annually from the age of 20 if the risk of breast cancer is very high
- Mammography: annually from the age of 40, in case of higher risk
An increased risk of breast cancer has, for example, women whose mother, sister, grandmother and/or aunt have already developed breast cancer (or ovarian cancer). There may then be a mutation of certain risk genes (breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2) in the family. A gene test will determine this.
In addition, close-meshed breast cancer screening examinations are advisable if there are already conspicuous but benign tissue changes in the breast.
If you are at increased risk of breast cancer, discuss with your gynecologist which breast cancer screening measures make sense in your case.
Breast cancer screening: should you have one?
Doctors and scientists from various disciplines have carefully weighed the benefits against possible risks of breast cancer screening exams and based on the risk-benefit profile, have created the recommendations for breast cancer screening by age group.
What is certain is that finding cancer in the breast early, improves the chances of cure. Studies have shown that routine mammography screening for women between the ages of 50 and 69 reduces breast cancer deaths. As a result, doctors usually recommend that women participate in screening exams.
