A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast to check for breast cancer. Mammograms can help find breast cancer early, before it spreads to other parts of the body — and when it may be easier to treat. Anyone who has breasts can get breast cancer. 

Get a mammogram every 2 years if you’re age 40 to 74 years and have breasts. If you have a higher risk of getting breast cancer, your doctor may recommend that you start getting mammograms at a younger age or that you get them more often.

Use the questions below to start a conversation with your doctor about mammograms. Together, you and your doctor can decide what’s best for you.

What do I ask the doctor?

When you visit the doctor, it helps to have questions ready ahead of time. You may also want to ask a family member or close friend to go with you to take notes. 

Consider taking this list of questions with you to your next appointment.

• Do I have any risk factors that raise my chances of getting breast cancer? If so, do I need to be screened earlier or more often?
• What will happen when I go to get a mammogram?
• How long will it take to get the results of my mammogram?
• If I don’t hear back about the results of my mammogram, does that mean everything's okay?
• What are the benefits and risks of getting a mammogram? What does this mean for me?
• Is there anything I can do to lower my risk of breast cancer?
• When should I stop having mammograms?