Should Women Stop Getting Mammograms After a Certain Age?

The age when women should start to get mammograms often changes, but is there ever a time in your life to stop getting them?

According to Falguni Patel, D.O., board-certified radiologist and dedicated breast imaging physician with The Tyanna O’Brien Center for Women’s Imaging at Mercy, the answer simply is no.

Dr. Patel explained that women over age 75 should continue to get yearly mammograms. Doctors do see more cancers in older populations, and those cancers tend to be slower growing and smaller.

Dr. Patel noted how she’s even seen a 95-year-old women coming in for regular mammograms.

"If you have an expectancy of at least 10 years and if you're going to act on the abnormal finding on the mammogram, then you absolutely should continue. Now, patients that are over 90, you know, it's sort of like you have to do risk versus benefit and determine between the caregivers and healthcare providers if it is beneficial for them," Dr. Patel said.

Dr. Patel added that women should get a mammogram for their grandkids or great-grandkids. It's in inexpensive test and readily available. If people still going for eye doctor check-ups and physicals, they should also be getting their annual mammogram.

View Mercy radiologist Dr. Falguni Patel’s interview regarding mammograms for older women.