Who is eligible for annual screening mammograms?

If you are aged 50 to 74 years, you are recommended to have a mammogram every two years.

Some women may benefit from having annual screening mammograms if they have:

• A significant family history of breast cancer.

A significant family history of breast cancer is where a woman: 

• has two or more first degree relatives* with breast cancer (diagnosed at any age), or
• has a first degree relative who had breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 50, or
• has a first degree relative with bilateral breast cancer (diagnosed at any age).

• Benign high risk breast pathology ie Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia or Lobular Cancer in situ (classical) or Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia
• Prior therapeutic radiation therapy to the chest (mantle) under the age of 40 eg. for Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Past personal history of breast cancer
• Past personal history of ovarian cancer

*A first degree relative is defined as a brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter.

If you are a woman who does not fall into any of the above categories, and is under 70 years of age, BreastScreen WA suggests that you complete the online breast cancer risk assessment tool called iPrevent.

iPrevent is a validated breast cancer risk assessment and risk management decision support tool from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in Victoria.

If iPrevent recommends only annual screening mammograms, please email through the assessment (including the section that recommends annual screening) to BreastScreen WA.

A BreastScreen WA call centre operator will contact you about booking a screening appointment within a week.

Emails should be sent to BSWA.DataManagement@health.wa.gov.au with your name, date of birth, address and contact mobile phone number.