the guidelines for mammogram screening don't apply to women at risk for breast cancer. when should they get screened?
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.