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Women's Health

Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screening 

Early detection of breast cancer saves lives.  Follow these breast cancer screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society:

Ages 20-39

  • Clinical breast exam every three years
  • Monthly self breast exam


Ages 40 and older
  • Annual mammogram
  • Annual clinical breast exam
  • Monthly self breast exam


Women who are a higher risk for breast cancer (for example, women with a family history of breast cancer) may require additional testing.
D.I.Y. Is Not Enough
Self-exams, although helpful and necessary, are not enough. Be sure to talk to your physician about your recommended breast screening guidelines.
How To: Breast Self-Exams

  1. Lie down and place your right arm behind your head.
  2. Use the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast.
  3. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads.
  4. Use 3 different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. 
  5. Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone).
  6. Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle).
  7. Repeat the exam on your left breast, putting your left arm behind your head.