Mammos Don't Work So Well in Young Women

The breasts of younger women - those in their forties or below - tend to be dense, and mammograms aren't particularly effective at spotting cancer in dense breasts. For these women, mammography is more likely to result in being called back for a biopsy even when no cancer is present.

On the other hand, women age 75 or older tend to have slower-growing tumors, so mammography might not make much sense for them.

Women in these age groups should talk with their doctor about the value of mammography, says Dr. Esserman.

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