Recommendations on screening for breast cancer in average-risk women aged 40–74 years

Guideline Objective

This document updates the previous guidelines issued by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (2001). The absence of current Canadian recommendations, the recent controversy over the best way to screen for breast cancer among women at average risk of the disease, the availability of new technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a recent review of the evidence were the basis for selecting this topic for an update by the revitalized Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care.

Recommendations are presented for the use of mammography, MRI, breast self-examination and clinical breast examination to screen for breast cancer among women at average risk of disease (defined as those with no previous breast cancer, no history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative, no known mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes or no previous exposure of the chest wall to radiation). Recommendations are provided separately for women aged 40–49, 50–69 and 70–74 years and are aimed at clinicians and policy-makers. The recommendations are intended to inform both organized and opportunistic screening.

Patient Population

Women at average risk of disease (defined as those with no previous breast cancer, no history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative, no known mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes or no previous exposure of the chest wall to radiation), ages 40–49, 50–69 and 70–74 years

Intended Guideline Users

Clinicians and policy-makers