the american cancer society defines high-risk as women with a greater than 20% lifetime risk of breast cancer. this includes women with brca1 and brca2 gene mutations and women who have not been tested but have a parent sibling or child with a brca mutation as well as certain other groups of women. the american cancer society recommends that high-risk women have annual mammograms along with an mri beginning at age 30 and continuing for as long as they are in good health. women with a 15% to 20% lifetime risk for breast cancer are considered to have a moderately increased risk for the disease. acs recommends that these women talk to their doctors about the benefits and risks of adding an mri to their annual mammogram screening.
the guidelines for mammogram screening don't apply to women at risk for breast cancer. when should they get screened?