Health Happenings

Mammography Screening 

Effective for Women 70+

According to a University of California, San Francisco study, screening mammography can reduce the risk of advanced breast cancer in elderly women. In fact, the study showed that women who undergo screening in their 70s have a 43%-less chance of developing metastatic or advanced breast cancer than those who were not screened.

"No one really knows when to stop screening," says Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD, UCSF assistant professor. "This study provides the first evidence that mammography is beneficial for these women, and, given what we know about mammography, it’s not surprising."

Until this study, there has been little evidence that mammography is effective in women age 70 and older, though it has been known to benefit women between ages 50 and 69. Though breast cancer mortality rates have declined in the past decade for women ages 50 to 69, women 70 and older have not seen similar improvement.